Neenah 1NEENAH - The Redbirds defeated the Rockets in five innings in the nonconference matchup Neenah scored in the second inning on an unearned run but De Pere answered with eight runs in the top of the third inning The inning was highlighted by back-to-back two-run hits by Brett Weckwerth and Ryan Wettstein Wettstein broke open the game with a three-run double in the fifth inning Wettstein finished 2-for-2 with two doubles and five RBIs Isaac Poehlman and Weckwerth also collected two hits Caden Krutz pitched five innings to get the win DENMARK - The Tigers swept the North Eastern Conference doubleheader winning 7-6 in the first game and 2-1 in the second game Wrightstown scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning in the first game to take a 7-2 lead and held on for the win Ryan Leahy and Caleb Podgorski each had two hits Podgorski pitched 5⅓ innings to get the win Eli Kapinos and David Dittmer each had two hits for Denmark Aiden Humphreys pitched 5⅓ innings to get the win Trevor Vande Hey had a double and an RBI for the Tigers Friday's high school results: Green Bay area high school sports results for Friday, May 2 WAUPACA - The Marines swept the North Eastern Conference doubleheader beating the Comets 4-3 in the first game and 4-2 in the second game Nik Williams pitched a complete game in the opener for Marinette Marinette scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the win after Waupaca had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning Justin Kruse pitched seven innings for Marinette OCONTO - Riley Susa pitched a complete game and allowed two hits to lead the Blue Devils to the victory Ethan Wusterbarth hit a two-run home run and Collin Baumann hit a two-run double for Oconto Joe Felhoer and Cade Johnson had the hits for Bonduel (5-5 overall) IOLA - The Bears were held to three hits in the loss to the Thunderbirds Kody Schroeder and Jack Zernicke had the hits for Bonduel Beckett Hartlaben pitched six innings for Bonduel DE PERE - The Lightning scored three goals in the first half in the nonconference win over the Redbirds Aubrey Scherer and Brinley Dunsirn scored for North Lightning goalie Ava Koleske made nine saves Nicole Abendroth and her husband Ryan unexpectedly found out they were expecting triplets Their doctor warned the De Pere couple it was more common for triplets to be born prematurely so they started expecting the babies to arrive early Full-term babies are born at 39 to 40 weeks Just 22 weeks and five days into her pregnancy "He lived for two hours," Nicole Abendroth said "We were holding him when he passed away." Then the focus switched to keep her other two unborn sons alive Five years later, Abendroth is participating in a March of Dimes walk May 6 to raise money and awareness for the national nonprofit that provides research and advocacy to prevent premature birth and infant mortality The neonatal intensive care unit at Children's Wisconsin in Milwaukee connected Nicole with support and educational resources from March of Dimes that made her feel more prepared for her boys' future and know what to look out for "We wouldn't have known that was out there if not for March of Dimes and it made us feel a little bit less isolated during COVID where you really couldn't talk to other parents in the NICU," Abendroth said After Abendroth gave birth to Jack that April 19 it became a mission for her to stay pregnant with the other two boys as long as possible to give them the best chance was put on antibiotics to prevent infection A baby born between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy is still considered extremely premature and is at risk of developing long-term physical or cognitive complications. Caleb and Ben were both in the early hours on April 26 The boys were born at Children's Wisconsin Fox Valley Hospital in Neenah but had to be transferred by ambulance to a more advanced NICU at Children's Wisconsin in Milwaukee The Abendroths had to juggle everything amid the early months of the pandemic They took work calls from the bedside of the NICU "My husband and I were trying to figure out who was going to be where on what day and be with which kid," Abendroth said Caleb came home in October after 170 days in the NICU Ben came home a couple days before Christmas after 241 days in the NICU There were a lot of ups and downs but we felt so fortunate then that year to spend Christmas all together in one roof," she said The boys came home with feeding tubes and oxygen support When Ben was old enough in 2023, he had surgery to reconstruct his airway. X-rays taken while he was in the hospital after the surgery found he had developed a tumor and Ben was diagnosed with a stage 3 pediatric liver cancer that is more common in babies born premature. He went through rounds of chemotherapy He got to leave the hospital in November 2023 One of the boys' physical therapists told the family they would probably never walk or run and might not learn to speak because they weren't able to develop their muscles as much while in the NICU and hospital Caleb and Ben run all over the house and are really happy and friendly 5-year-olds They wear glasses as a result of vision problems and love going for walks and helping with their younger sister Lily "Who each of the boys have become has made it entirely worth it and we feel so extremely blessed to be their parents and that they're here," Abendroth said Nicole and Ryan have started talking to their kids more actively about their brother Jack They celebrate his birthday together every year on April 19 we make angel food cake and write him cards and let him know that we miss him," Abendroth said The March of Dimes was founded by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938 to fight polio and moved to its new mission of maternal and infant health in the 1960s when the polio vaccine was created "We really owe it to Jack to make the future better for moms and for babies so that they all can have better outcomes and better results," Abendroth said Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@gannett.com (This story was updated to add new information.) The 18-year-old De Pere man who was killed last month in a motorcycle crash in Ashwaubenon has been identified Connor J Carlson was killed in a crash at South Ashland Avenue and Mike McCarthy Way, according to Ashwaubenon Public Safety Carlson was southbound on Ashland at 11:25 p.m April 26 when he collided with a sedan turning right onto Mike McCarthy Way A visitation for Carlson will be held from 4-6 p.m. May 7 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1301 S. Ridge Road, according to his obituary The obituary described Carlson as a person who truly valued people He volunteered at Green Bay Fear haunted house where he "found great joy in 'scaring people'" and at Happily Ever After "While his ability to make others smile and laugh was second to none and will surely be remembered by all his uncanny ability to not only know when one needed comfort and care but also always stepping in to do so Carlson grew up in Howard and graduated early from Bay Port High School in January He "was looking forward to joining his classmates in June to walk and accept his diploma," his obituary said The driver of the sedan was an 84-year-old Ashwaubenon woman who sustained serious but nonlife-threatening injuries and has been turned over to the Brown County Sheriff Crash Reconstruction Team Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214 bringing together more families and individuals whose lives have been touched by cancer (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story) seeing the community come out to support his late mother Jayma Van Straten who was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in 2019 was a heartwarming experience "I can't even put into words how it makes me feel," Van Straten said Jayma attended the first Redbird Ribbon Walk in 2022 started in partnership with the De Pere High School Sting Cancer Club to support families facing cancer and that everyone's doing this in honor of my mom and everyone else fighting and battling or who has lost to cancer," Matt Van Straten said not only honors her but also serves as a reminder of how deeply she impacted those around her "It's just a testament to this community and the strength and the love that everyone has for one another," Dan Van Straten said the walk has raised between $5,000 and $10,000 for the De Pere Sting Cancer Club Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson showed his support at Sunday’s event noting that with cancer impacting so many families including his own events like the Redbird Ribbon Walk highlight the powerful strength within communities "It's just inspirational to know that someone has dealt with something so tragic in terms of losing a loved one to cancer and they're still able to come out and do something like this," Watson said For the Van Straten family and many others in attendance the Redbird Ribbon Walk is more than just an annual event support each other in the present and walk with hope toward a future of kicking cancer to the curb We cover stories making an impact in De Pere. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in De Pere 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 GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- West De Pere defeated Green Bay West 15-0 and Xavier defeated Green Bay East 3-0 in Bay Conference girls soccer matchups Thursday. The two biggest NFL events are the draft and the Super Bowl De Pere resident Wayne Dear will attend each one in a year's timespan the last day of the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field Dear and his family were set to go home when they were approached by NFL representatives about going on the draft stage to do trivia Because only two people were allowed to go with him while his wife and other kids stayed in the crowd Dear met Mark Miller and Jody Staniewski backstage the couple won a pair of tickets to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara Despite the cheers and happiness from the couple Dear still didn't realize what was about to happen to him we weren't expecting to win Super Bowl tickets based off whatever question they were going to ask us We were just happy just to be selected to go on the stage," he told the Press-Gazette Following more draft picks being announced it was the father and daughter's turn to get on stage where they were greeted to thousands in front of the draft stage NFL Network host Kimmi Chex asked Dear a simple question: Who did he think was going to compete in Super Bowl LX next year That's when Chex informed the two that they will also be getting tickets to next year's Super Bowl "When she announced that they weren't just going to give out two sets of Super Bowl tickets I thought I was going to pass out," Dear said He also said it'll be an all-expense-paid trip So the question is: Who is Dear taking to the big game who according to Dear was the one who suggested the family go near the draft stage Dear said he will take Taylor to Santa Clara but it took some negotiating with Kennedy to keep everyone happy 'How about we go to Disney this summer?' She's a little tough," Dear said "We already planned on going to Disney this summer so we kind of had to sweep it up a little bit with that." More: Here is the Green Bay Packers 2025 NFL Draft class "They drafted the necessary pieces that we need that are crucial and vital for the Packers success," Dear said "If all those pieces come together and all of our guys are in good shape and they're healthy .. there's no question that we can make a deeper playoff run." The best-case scenario would be the Packers facing the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl Dear said he is grateful for the opportunity to go to Santa Clara Many people congratulated him after the fact with many telling him that he and his family deserved this opportunity "That just warms my heart when I hear that because you work hard in the community," he said "You work hard with the people that you work with you lead by example in trying to be a role model in your community and will be the third time the Super Bowl will be held in Levi's Stadium An 18-year-old De Pere man has died after being thrown from his motorcycle following a crash in Ashwaubenon According to the Village of Ashwaubenon's Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred around 11:25 p.m. April 26 as a motorcyclist was traveling south on Ashland Avenue and collided with a sedan turning west onto Mike McCarthy Way. The man was transported to a hospital, where he died, according to a press release from Ashwaubenon Public Safety Deputy Chief Nick Kozloski. The driver of the car, an 84-year-old Ashwaubenon woman, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said. She was transported to a hospital and is cooperating with the investigation. "It is unknown if alcohol or speed were factors in the crash until completion of investigation," police said. The intersection where the crash occurred was closed for about three hours. The motorcyclist will be identified after family are notified, police said. President Donald Trump delivers his 100th Day in Office achievement speech in Michigan. WATCHDe Pere outlasts Manitowoc in extra innings to win pitchers' duelby Doug Ritchay DE PERE (WLUK) -- Moments after beating Manitowoc De Pere coach Bob Van Rens huddled with his team and as they always do to discuss which players deserve a helmet sticker for the game There wasn't just one of two players mentioned as Van Rens and the team kept bringing up names De Pere handed the Ships their first loss of the season 1-0 but it would seem not much was needed to be done to pull off the win About a handful of players' names were listed Maybe there was one run scored in the game and in the process De Pere and Manitowoc each have one Fox River Classic Conference loss as the midway part of the conference season approaches "I think getting this is huge," senior Ryan Wettstein said "Getting the win means the world." "It's a nice win," Van Rens said "They always have a nice team and (Manitowoc pitcher) Brayden Steinbecker was really phenomenal." Much of the game was a pitchers' duel between De Pere's Lucas Koskey and Steinbecker Steinbecker actually pitched into the eighth inning before reaching the 100-pitch count But a Steinbecker fastball to Wettstein in the eighth was key The leadoff hitter was ready and hit a grounder up the middle for a single "He gave me a fastball middle in," Wettstein said "Fourth time coming up my goal was to stay in the moment Steinbecker was then relieved and Wettstein moved to second base on a wild pitch forced a wild throw and Wettstein rounded third base and headed home with the game's only run it didn't look like he could come off the base very well," said Wettstein "I was immediately looking to come home The ball got past him and I saw Van Rens wave me home." The win moves De Pere (7-1) to 6-1 in the FRCC "Conference was definitely not won today," Van Rens said "Such a long season and we have such a good conference this year three games behind Manitowoc and then you really have to fight back Now this puts us on a level playing field." Koskey struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and Isaac Pohlman won the game in relief "Our pitching staff was outstanding and just kind of outlasted them," Van Rens said "Really great pitching performances on both sides." APPLETON (WLUK) -- Julie Caldie of De Pere didn't know what to expect when she sat down in the chair at The Salon Professional Academy in Appleton But she was certainly excited to be there and meet with stylist Josif Wittnik Julie is spending her retirement from Bellin Health One of her babysitting families nominated her for this opportunity "You have the epitome of TV hair," Josif told Julie before getting to work Caldie said she felt like a princess with both Josif and makeup artist Cathy Jo Keeley working on her transformation and giving her tips along the way If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for a makeover, send an email along with a picture to Josif at josif@tspaappleton.com If you would like to book an appointment at The Salon Professional Academy call (920) 968-0433 by Scott Hurley (WLUK) -- Sturgeon could be visible soon below the De Pere Dam The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says about 20 of the fish were visible near the dam on the Fox River on Tuesday Sturgeon were also gathering near the Peshtigo Dam in preparation for spawning in the Peshtigo River Share your sturgeon spawning photos and videos here: A few fish were still visible below the Shawano Dam Visit the DNR's sturgeon spawning webpage for daily updates This story has been updated to add new information LAWRENCE - Cellcom's parent company has sold its three-story office building along Interstate 41 and plans to close the first-floor retail store as part of the transition Nsight — the Howard-based telecommunications parent company of Cellcom, home internet provider Nsight Telservices and Nsight Tower — on Tuesday announced it had sold the 51,000-square-foot office building to Robinson Inc. "The location is outstanding as it relates to our De Pere facilities It just kind of worked out that Cellcom was looking to vacate," said Sam Thomas Robinson's vice president and chief operating officer really good local business and we're really happy we're able to continue that legacy in an iconic De Pere facility." The company in media release said the sale is part of its strategic plan to reinvest and position Nsight for future growth while also helping support the expansion of another local "This transition is a positive step for both Nsight and De Pere reinforcing our dedication to regional economic development," the statement said The office space will give the company space for its engineering accounting and other employees that currently work out of the company's main building at 1740 Eisenhower Road in Lawrence Thomas said the building will need some renovations before the company moves in "It really matches who Robinson is really becoming and provides us with a space where when we have customers coming in we have a more modern environment for them," Thomas said Thomas said moving those operations to the new office building will enable Robinson to convert the office space into additional production space and improve the flow of product in the process was founded in 1975 as Robinson Metal and Roofing by Maurie and Tom Robinson The company would sell off the roofing business in 1995 before adding custom enclosure and machining divisions in 1998 and the company's longtime general manager Darrell LaCrosse bought the company in 1999 and renamed it Robinson Metal in 2000 The company also became 100% employee-owned in 2023 via an employee stock ownership plan Cellcom store on ground floor to closeAs a result of the property sale Nsight will close the Cellcom retail store in the building's first floor will close April 19 The four employees at the store will be transferred to nearby locations Nsight said it is actively looking for a new retail location in the De Pere area but that for now customers can visit any of its other five the closest of which is at 2385 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier DE PERE (WLUK) -- The De Pere Fire Rescue Department says no one was injured or damage after an oven fire When they got on scene of the multiunit apartment complex Crews then confirmed the fire was contained inside the over with smoke that filled the apartment The DPFRD determined the fire inside the oven was caused by the cleaning mode being turned on All residents were able to back inside their apartments Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here DE PERE - New details have emerged about the first two buildings expected to start the large-scale transformation of the former Shopko site on the downtown's east side De Pere 230 Development Partners LLC in August 2023 purchased the Shopko site and on Monday the city's Plan Commission recommended approval of several design exceptions for a five-story mixed-use building and a five-story hotel The commission's approval does not require a vote by the City Council and clears the way for city staff to approve the finalized building plans once the development group submits them The two buildings represent the first two of six buildings coming to the site under the multiyear multiphase redevelopment plan to add hundreds of housing units a hotel and a parking garage on the four-acre site "This is the second building they can move forward with and we wish them the best of luck," Mayor James Boyd told the Plan Commission on Monday The original redevelopment plans placed the hotel just north of the Union Hotel along North Broadway The new concept plan moved it to behind the Union Hotel meeting room and five hotel rooms designed for individuals who might have reduced mobility The hotel construction plans indicate the hotel would be a TownePlace Suites by Marriott Jason Tadych of De Pere 230 Development Partners said the group is working with a hotel developer that is in discussions with TownePlace Suites right now TownePlace Suites is one of hotel giant Marriott International's extended stay brands and its rooms include full kitchens A Google search turned up eight TownePlace Suites in Wisconsin already The five-story mixed-use building would have 60 apartments on the top four floors with the first floor largely set aside for retail/commercial space and tenant amenities Several of the units on each side of the building will include balconies which required a design exception from the city The first floor would include four retail spaces one of which is designated as a coworking space in design plans The first floor designs also include a lounge and club room on the first floor The city's zoning codes require buildings taller than three stories to have a 10-foot "step-back" design incorporated to any floors above the third floor so the building height isn't right up on the street The code also requires balconies to be built into a building's design The mixed-use building's five floors do not include a 10-foot step-back on the fourth and fifth floors and some of the balconies included would be attached to the building exterior Tadych told the city's Plan Commission on Monday evening that incorporating balconies and the 10-foot step-back on the 77,000-square-foot building would reduce the square footage of the apartment units and make them "a little less desirable a little more cramped." He said the step-backs alone could cut in half the number of units on the fourth and fifth floors The hotel building also did not include a 10-foot step-back on one side of the building plans The Plan Commission unanimously approved all the requests with several board members noting the balconies are an attractive feature to renters would not negatively impact the redevelopment of the rest of the Shopko site or its reconnection to the residential neighborhood to the east The approvals do not require the De Pere City Council's approval Boyd said that city staff will be able to approve the developers' finalized building plans provided they comply with the rest of the city's zoning codes DE PERE (WLUK) -- A person was taken into custody after a standoff in De Pere police responded to the 1700 block of 76 Place for a report of an intoxicated man holding a woman against her will and threatening her with a firearm The woman was able to get out of the house on her own and reported the incident to police The man refused to exit the home so the Brown County SWAT Team armored Bearcat vehicle and a K-9 unit were requested to assist there was a shelter in place order for those living in the area Police were able to make phone contact with the man and convinced him to come out peacefully DE PERE - After months of conflict at meetings, the De Pere School Board took a quiet vote April 21 to censure board member Melissa Niffenegger for violating code of conduct rules There was little discussion — Niffenegger was absent and board members seemed to want to get the vote over with "I don't think any curriculum or any school official is above question I am only voting yes for this resolution because of the conduct taken," board member Matthew Petersen said I plan to try to work with Melissa pretty much (with) a clean slate and I hope that we can move forward as a result of the learning we all got out of this." Last October, Niffenegger reported the school district to Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction alleging teachers and administrators were violating state law The tension ramped up after Niffenegger yelled at De Pere director of curriculum and instruction Kathy Van Pay at a board meeting and maintained her allegations against the district even after DPI ruled the district follows the law board member Brandy Tollefson filed a formal complaint against Niffenegger Four months and an independent investigation later lawyers reported April 7 that they’d found Niffenegger violated board policy through her complaint to DPI and her social media use What does censure mean?Censure is the lowest-grade enforcement allowed in the district’s board code of conduct the policy the investigation said Niffenegger violated It’s essentially a public reprimand: by censuring a member the school board shows they disagree with the member’s actions speaking on behalf of herself and not for the board that she had no intention of going to censure but did so after Niffenegger declined to discuss any resolution and public commenters requested a censure voted to censure; she said it was a public statement that she didn't condone Niffenegger's actions grow and become better versions of ourselves through things like this and I hope Melissa will come to the board with concerns in a different way going forward," Tollefson said in an email "I value each board member's opinion and knowledge and I will always be open to listening to Melissa's concerns." It’s not the first time the De Pere school board has considered censuring one of its members. In 2023, board member Brittony Cartwright asked the board to censure president Adam Clayton after she accused him of disrespect and bullying What does the resolution say?The resolution cites the investigation saying Niffenegger’s conduct violated the district’s policy on behavior The investigation is based on a complaint from Tollefson that states among other points that Melissa disrespected district employees harmed the district’s reputation and misled the public It also lists the occasions in which Niffenegger violated policy including “certain text messages and certain media statements.” The media statement point refers to incorrect statements made to several local media stations The district was found not to have violated Act 20 in December speaking publicly at least once in January about her belief that De Pere teachers were using three-cueing practices Tollefson made her complaint in December. Months earlier, she requested Niffenegger apologize to Van Pay for disrespect and correct inaccurate statements made to the media DE PERE - You don’t have to be a diehard “Star Wars” fan to enjoy the newest touring exhibit at the Mulva Cultural Center Who can’t appreciate someone so passionate about a movie franchise that they’ve amassed one of the largest fan collections of “Star Wars” memorabilia in the world We’re talking unopened packs of trading cards a script from the first movie in 1977 autographed by Darth Vader himself (actor David Prowse) assorted droids and a life-sized landspeeder That’s a lot to fit in a “Star Wars”-themed rec room no matter how big your house so the anonymous collector who has been at it since 1980 has made their finds available for others to enjoy as the touring “Unofficial Galaxies” exhibit It landed Saturday at the Mulva and will be on display through April 27 Here’s a few things to know if you plan to check out a galaxy far far away that’s as close as downtown De Pere What kinds of things are included in the exhibit?There are more than 140 items in all including dozens of replica costumes and props that comprise the bulk of the exhibit Grogu and Jar Jar Binks are all represented A few are displayed solo but most are grouped in scenes The information stations focus on telling you about the characters and their storylines in the movies rather than behind-the-scenes tidbits of filming or costuming and the exhibit is not connected to Disney Enterprises Inc there are some fun facts tucked in here and there you might know that Yak Face has two stomachs but did you know his Kenner Star Wars figure that came out in 1985 was never distributed to toy stores and is considered one of the most sought-after Kenner figures by collectors there are no interactive elements to this exhibit as there have been to some of the Mulva's previous traveling exhibits It’s more of a stroll-and-look-and-reminisce-about-the-movies experience Visitors enter and exit through a starry landscape A landspeeder and Anakin's deskThe drivable landspeeder from 1977’s “A New Hope” is the piece most likely to turn the heads of fans Designed by “Star Wars” art director Norman Reynolds but you’ll have to let your imagination do the work when it comes to speeding across the desert The most valuable piece in the collection is Anakin Skywalker's desk and chair which are original to "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” from 1999 That also explains why they're encased in glass The exhibit was originally scheduled to open Jan 25 but was delayed a week due to shipping issues Tickets are $20 adults ages 18-59, $10 ages 4-17, $15 seniors 60 and older and military with valid ID and free ages 3 and younger. You can purchase them in advance for a specific day and time at mulvacenter.org or just get yours at the front desk when you arrive "Unofficial Galaxies" is open during regular Mulva Cultural Center hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m More: Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors to play a 1990s summer party in Ashwaubenon More: First Bob Dylan, now Bonnie Raitt. The Weidner lands another Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Visitors are encouraged to dress as their favorite character for Rebel Rebellion: “Unofficial Galaxies” Fan Day from 11 a.m The celebration of the new exhibit also includes a photo backdrop with props movie-themed treats and drinks available at Cafe on Broadway and a galaxy-inspired art project No need to worry that you'll be the only one who shows up in costume The event is free; a ticket to “Unofficial Galaxies” is not required Beginning Friday and continuing every weekend through April 19, the Mulva’s 200-seat theater will show a “Star Wars” movie on its 17-foot-by-33-foot Samsung OLED 4K screen — one of only three in the country. All films begin at 7 p.m. Cost is $5 each for ages 4 and older at mulva.org/films or the front desk Friday and Saturday: “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”Feb 14-15: “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones”Feb 21-22: “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith”Feb 28-March 1: “Solo: A Star Wars Story”March 7-8: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”March 14-15: “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope”March 21-22: “Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back”March 28-29: “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi”April 4-5: “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens”April 11-12: “Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi”April 18-19: “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker”Gift shop merchandise includes Yoda shades Chewbacca journalsNeed a "May the Forest Be With You" decal that includes images of trees The Mulva's Splurge gift shop on the first floor has an assortment of "Star Wars" merchandise stormtrooper Employee of the Month T-shirts the heavyweight "Star Wars Encyclopedia" and "The Tiny Book of Grogu." 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 the horticulture lab activity at De Pere High School looks the same as any other across the country: Students stand over cups of soil and water Prongs and wires in the soil acting as sensors reading off measurements in red LED lettering De Pere is one of 60 schools nationwide granted mini-computer kits and teacher training for Microsoft FarmBeats for Students a program that teaches students to use sensors computers and artificial intelligence in agriculture The program brings together areas of interest that some students may otherwise never connect and it provides a skill set that several students say they’ll use in future careers We can utilize technology like this to help basically maximize our production,” De Pere agriculture teacher Adam Wolf said when a team of Microsoft researchers started working with educators associated with Future Farmers of America They wanted to prepare students for a shift toward new technology in both the agriculture industry and the classroom "Agriculture is an industry that is historically evolving and innovative We think about the introduction of the plow — that's innovation that was technology for the time,” Bortleson said "We're helping introduce students real time to technology that's relevant today in industry on a global scale.”  focuses on data use in the agriculture world Students look at data in the context of farming: deciding where to put a greenhouse gathering data on crop health and using AI to identify pests and nutrient imbalances The FarmBeats program relies on mini-computers called “micro:bits," which Bortleson said are powerful, though low cost and easy to program. Wolf said the coding is like a game, with detailed directions. Students eventually design their own AI machine learning models, which is meant to come alongside a discussion on responsible AI use "This generation is a lot more accepting of it," Wolf said but I think my generation would probably be like Wolf was one of the FFA teachers who helped develop the FarmBeats program which provided the school with 10 mini-computer kits in-person training for teachers and additional funding and support for implementation according to senior Microsoft communications manager Paul Arden Whether students want to go into agriculture or just keep a garden in the backyard he hopes the classes will give them a baseline understanding of how growing things work “My hope always is that they can gain some basic knowledge that they have a little bit of understanding about where their food comes from,” Wolf said Mixing agriculture and coding in the labIn the classroom students used the micro:bit mini-computer to read moisture levels in the soil as It was the first lab in a series on soil moisture also intended to get students comfortable with the mini-computer and sensors FFA president and senior Makayla Staudinger will head to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to study agribusiness; Wolf’s horticulture class will act like an introduction for her college classes Having that basic understanding of coding in this context helps her but Staudinger emphasized that for someone else it could spark an interest in software that they didn’t know they had "There's a lot of kids down here that wouldn't expect to be really good at (coding) or really interested in it "Mixing those departments across the schools everyone can get a feel for what they're interested in.”  which went to the national convention in Indianapolis last year they tried out the micro-bit computers they now use in the classroom Morse and several other students live on farms so they can see the effect of even small tools like the moisture sensor in the real world Seeing how all those pieces fit together made an impact on Morse Today's soil moisture lab was just the start students will start tracking soil data for multiple days in a row He hopes it will show students the importance of keeping plants well-watered Several students in Wolf's class aren’t set on going into agriculture or enjoy planting flowers — which the class also does in partnership with Dickinson Elementary for Mother’s Day “It’s still kind of new right now,” Morse said “But I’m sure it’ll turn into something bigger.”  Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at nscharf@gannett.com or on X at @nadiaascharf DE PERE (WLUK) -- Warm weather set the stage for anglers heading out Monday The Fox River was busy in the Green Bay area as boaters took to the water It's about 100 miles from their home in Slinger to the Fox Point Boat Launch in De Pere "Word on the street is they're starting to run now so it's a heck of a lot better being here than being at work," said Jeff "The walleye run is pretty special here because the majority of the fish from Green Bay all congregate at the Fox River which is usually pretty good fishing," said Jack walleye make their way upstream to places like the De Pere Dam to spawn Anglers lined the fishing area at Voyageur Park in De Pere Monday morning "I don't care about the walleyes but not too much on shore," said Dane Clark from Forestville Most of the walleye fishing in the river is catch and release Jeff and Jack Klippel say they are happy to be on the water "It's nice to get in a boat and actually cast and cover more water Fishing through an eight-inch hole can be pretty hard at times," said Jack "I'd rather not be out on the ice It's just great to be out in the boat floating around and enjoying the outdoors," said Jeff Fishing continues as the walleye run below the De Pere Dam is known to stretch into May The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is also extending its walleye reward tag study in the waters of Green Bay and its major tributaries Anglers are encouraged to report any colored tags they find in their walleye If the West De Pere girls basketball team was going to make the WIAA Division 2 state tournament for the first time in almost 50 years with good health and a team that features at least four future collegiate players The Phantoms had a near impossible task to make state in any of the previous three seasons despite a talented 2025 class Those Notre Dame and Pewaukee squads weren’t just good Those two programs were elevated to Division 1 this season helping to clear a path for a team like West De Pere to finally break through qualifying for state for the second time in program history and the first time since 1978 West De Pere (23-5) will play Wauwatosa East (27-1) in a Division 2 state semifinal Friday at the Resch Center approximately 15 minutes after the conclusion of the other D2 semifinal between Madison Edgewood (27-1) and Rice Lake (23-5) that starts at 1:35 p.m “The girls felt it, we knew this summer we put the work in,” West De Pere coach Chris Abaray said “They were up every day in the weight room we had a really good opportunity to do the same thing But we had some injuries that really kind of limited us as the season went on but I think those setbacks kind of dulled the moment a little bit “We knew if we could get everybody back healthy we had a really good shot at getting here this year.” Abaray isn’t exaggerating when he talks about the injuries that hit his team before when 5-foot-6 standout guard and University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh commit Ella Francois tore the anterior cruciate ligament in a knee It wiped out her entire junior campaign and took away a player considered one of the heart and souls of the Phantoms West De Pere lost 6-1 forward-center and UW-Stevens Point commit Mia Racine to another ACL injury during the season before guard and fellow starter Alexa Rattray sustained a knee injury late in the campaign after previously serving as a valuable super sub at all five positions The Phantoms finished 19-7 and lost by 12 points to Watertown in a regional championship game Vote for top athlete: Vote for Cellcom Press-Gazette high school athlete of the week among basketball, hockey standouts West De Pere had an opportunity to make a legit run to state this season despite not even making the sectional round since Abaray’s first year in 2017-18 and despite those key contributors coming back from notable injuries A player can return to the court physically but sometimes the mental part isn’t such a guarantee “Just having torn an ACL myself a long time ago there is the mental hurdle you have to get over,” Abaray said “We talked a lot with the girls about that and sometimes it doesn’t just all come back to you right away We knew that was going to be part of our season was some of those girls kind of getting back into the swing of things just getting everybody back on the same page and this year our lineups changed quite a bit We knew we’d have some growing pains to start the season It was making sure that we were playing our best basketball January into February.” The Phantoms started the season winning their first seven games before a brief stretch in which they lost three of four with the only defeats coming to Laconia and Kimberly Laconia is one of the best D3 teams in the state while Kimberly is the favorite to win the championship in D1 West De Pere has one of the best players in the area in senior point guard and Northern Michigan commit Faith Walder who is averaging 19.9 points and became the program’s all-time leading scorer earlier in the season Fellow senior guard and UW-River Falls commit Madisyn Berggren is averaging 12.4 points and Francois 12.3 while Racine is averaging a team-high 6.5 rebounds The Phantoms won all four games in regionals and sectionals by double-digits They beat Waukesha West 66-55 to punch their ticket to state after defeating Plymouth and Waupun in regionals and Menasha in a sectional semifinal by an average of 38.3 points “Definitely watched (the Waukesha West) game, watched the Kimberly game already as well,” Wauwatosa East coach Mary Merg said. “They really remind me a little bit of Whitefish Bay (who the Red Raiders beat in a sectional semifinal) I think it’s going to be a really good game.” The road to a state championship will be difficult for the Phantoms although the nonconference schedule it played this season has helped prepare for this moment Wauwatosa East is making its second straight appearance at state and is ranked No which lost to powerhouse Pewaukee in a sectional semifinal The Red Raiders have four juniors averaging double-digits who has NCAA Division I offers from Ohio State 6.6 assists and 3.4 steals while shooting 51.3% who has DI offers from Chicago State and Mercyhurst is averaging 15.1 points and shooting 58.8% overall and 44.3% from 3 while guard Ellie Deprey is averaging 11.7 points and forward Audrey Sellinger 10.2 “They are very similar to us in certain ways,” Abaray said They have multiple girls who can go off on any given night “I think it’s a really awesome matchup for us I just think it’s two really good teams that have a chance to go back and forth on the biggest stage.”   2: De Pere police say a man was taken into custody following a standoff on the 1700 block of 76 Place in De Pere on Thursday morning officers responded to the 1700 block of 76 Place just after 8 a.m following a report of an intoxicated man holding a woman against her will The man was threatening to hurt the woman with a firearm Police say the man was refusing to exit the home prompting officers to request assistance from the Brown County SWAT Team They say a BearCat vehicle and a K-9 unit were on scene as a precaution A shelter in place message was sent to neighbors in the area as well to a nearby school — also as a precaution After the Crisis Negotiation Team spoke with a male in what police called a "lengthy standoff" the man exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident and the shelter in place notifications were lifted once the situation was resolved “We are thankful that our officers were able to respond and quickly contain the threat presented by this individual and are relieved that no one was harmed during this incident," De Pere Police Chief Jeremy Muraski said in a statement "The Crisis Negotiation Team officers performed exceptionally during this situation greatly contributing to a positive outcome." "The De Pere Police Department would also like to thank the De Pere Fire Department and the Brown County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance during this incident,” Muraski added Police say this is an ongoing investigation and no additional information will be released at this time UPDATE: Crews on scene say the situation has been cleared This story will continue to be updated as we get more information ORIGINAL REPORTING: Officials confirm there is an active situation near Patriot Park in De Pere and said residents in the area have been asked to shelter in place We will update this story as more details become available DE PERE (NBC 26) — Last year at this time at De Pere high school they held a signing day for Aiden Cartier as the Redbirds track star was heading to the Naval academy “Just to be able to give back to my country like my grandfather did I think it means a lot,” Andrew said of his grandfather who was also in the Navy and served in Vietnam Andrew wasn't sure if the Naval Academy was for him but when he went with Aiden on his visit to Annapolis “Every time that I was there for his things I realized it was such a cool place and the opportunities are endless there,” said Andrew when once it came around to me talking to the coaches and things like that He was officially accepted into the Naval Academy last Friday his head coach at De Pere says he’ll have no problem leading the next generation of Sailors or Marines “One of the characteristics I love about this kid is he strives for excellence,” Soquet said he coaches kids around him to be the best they can be." Andrew actually took home the state title in triple jump beating out his older brother Aiden who ended up taking 2nd “Neither of us really cared who won,” said Andrew “I think the goal in the beginning of the season was to go first and second but it was definitely fun to get first place and be at the top of the podium.” The two share a brotherly bond and now they'll be teammates once again on the track and in serving their country “For him to almost be done with his freshman year which is supposed to be the worst year there I know time is going to fly once I'm there,” said Andrew but I just know it’s going to come really fast and I'm excited for it.” “You can just see that this track season for Andrew is a little bit different without Aiden here and I just think that they’re going to bring the best out of each other and it’s going to be an awesome dynamic for their team,” said their mom DE PERE (WLUK) -- De Pere won its first state baseball title last season and even though that's 10 months ago that memory is far from gone As the Redbirds have opened a new regular season this spring they still have not forgotten that feeling of winning a state championship but I was ready to get back on the field for this season," senior Mason Sequin said "I was excited to play with all these guys again "Our coaches are putting us in a great position to succeed this season all of us put in a ton of work to be successful this season so I feel really good about the season." "We're getting ready for a new season and it doesn't really matter what happened last year," coach Bob Van Rens said we made some great memories with those guys but it's a new group "I'm really coming around to these guys a lot Last year's group was obviously a very special group but this group is right there with them." This year's group is much different as 15 players were lost to graduation the Redbirds have 12 seniors this season who have been waiting to be the heartbeat of the team "Exactly," senior Lucas Koskey said we knew that it was going to be our time next year so obviously this is all that we wanted to have our time to shine and to show all our work this season." Van Rens knows he has a dozen seniors to lean on this season but would they have the same character as last year's team that went 27-3 do these guys have the 'it' factor that the guys that were here last year had?" Van Rens asked "I'm seeing that at practice every day 20 minutes early and I've got 10 guys waiting for me." De Pere has opened this season with a 2-1 record which includes splitting a doubleheader with rival Bay Port There are many games to play before it really has to worry about defending the state title but the Redbirds will be a hunted team based off last season the view of the state champs is last year doesn't matter so I don't think the outcome of last year's season is going to have any pressure on us at all," Koskey said "It's a blank slate and we're going to have to keep pushing and we're going to have to try to accomplish that again." The De Pere baseball team capped a memorable 2024 season by winning the program’s first WIAA state championship starting the year as the top-ranked team in the state and proving worthy of the honor by the end Despite becoming only the second Green Bay metro area program to win a DI state baseball title since the tournament split into classes in 1978 and into divisions in 1991 — Bay Port pulled off the feat in 2009 and 2010 — the Redbirds aren’t complacent entering their opener against Appleton East on Friday and I’ve got 10 guys waiting for me,” said De Pere coach Bob Van Rens who is entering his 16th season and closing in on 250 career wins “They saw how the seniors last year handled themselves and I think they are going to handle themselves very much the same way Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise the returning players remain hungry most of them didn’t get much time on the field Some were good enough to start on other teams just not one loaded with veterans who had legitimate championship expectations The trio put together some epic performances on the big stage allowing just two earned runs in 20⅔ innings for a team that outscored its three state opponents by a combined 15-2 De Pere isn’t the team to beat to start the season like it was last year 10 by Prep Baseball Report in its annual preseason rankings Whether that’s just respect given to a defending state champion remains to be seen but expectations are high both inside and outside the team “I’m really excited for them to get their chance at this,” Van Rens said We all understand that they don’t mean anything and still to be recognized as one of the top teams again “It shows that we are doing good things here in De Pere.” Lucas Koskey was prepared to come out of the bullpen for the Redbirds in the state title game against Sun Prairie Koskey was warming up with De Pere leading by three runs in the sixth inning the lefty got out of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play Koskey already was a big piece of the staff as a junior He dealt with a thumb injury early last spring and wasn’t expected to return until sometime in May but it was obvious he wasn’t the same pitcher the Redbirds were accustomed to watching Koskey rounded into form by the end of the season going 4-1 with a 3.42 ERA in 30 innings and solidifying himself as a top option behind the trio of Arendt He is one of the best athletes at De Pere and was a huge part of the football team in the fall. He will play the sport at NCAA Division II Northern Michigan next season The right-hander should be the ace of a staff that could include Dakota County Tech commit Isaac Poehlman and fellow seniors Caden Krutz and Cullen Pennings along with a handful of others he has located his pitches during camp far better than last season Donaldson and Raygo weren’t just the Redbirds’ best pitchers while Arendt led the team with 19 RBI entering state who combined for 43 RBI and 42 runs scored It’s a lot of firepower to lose in one offseason but De Pere does have a key piece returning in senior outfielder and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater commit Mason Sequin Sequin played an important role during the championship run “Mason is going to be awesome at the top of our lineup either the one or two spot,” Van Rens said We have got some other guys with really good speed “Then we have got some good power coming behind those guys with guys like Trenton Kriewaldt Van Rens and his staff believe there is a chance the offense will be better than last season The Fox River Classic Conference was loaded with both star pitchers and big velocity in 2024 So did the Bay Port duo of Ethan Plog and Craig Kabat and Green Bay Notre Dame’s Avery Duncan Of the 10 pitchers who made the FRCC all-conference team only Manitowoc senior Brayden Steinbecker is back De Pere isn't the only team that needs players to excel in new roles It can make it more difficult to project a favorite but the Redbirds are hoping to capture at least a share of the conference championship for the third straight season 2019) are the only teams to win at least three consecutive championships since the FRCC’s first baseball season in 2008 “I think we had five guys in our conference last year throwing 90-plus,” Van Rens said I really believe it had to be the best conference in the state of Wisconsin’s history guys around the conference are all getting better There is going to be some guys that maybe come out of nowhere and we didn’t expect to be good We have a lot of good programs in our conference DE PERE (NBC 26) — From sitting in the stands at the WIAA state girls basketball tournament as kids to taking the court in their senior year the West De Pere girls basketball team’s dream has come true “We’re not just going there to feel good,” Phantoms head coach Chris Abaray said Our goal wasn’t just to make it—it’s to win a state championship You have those kids who have that mentality of ‘We don’t want to let this thing go.’” The Phantoms are led by seven seniors who have been playing together since they were young they’ve attended many state tournaments as fans “I get my Snapchat memories and all these pictures from watching the games but now we’re on the court,” Phantoms senior Ella Francois said “I can’t even explain how excited we are,” Berggren said “We’ve been wanting to do this since we were in third grade and it just means so much to have our community behind us and to be able to do it with these girls that I love playing with.” Head coach Chris Abaray knows they’re going to get everybody’s best at this point and they come at you with a high level of intensity becoming the first West De Pere girls basketball team to reach state since 1978 and all the teachers and students were saying congrats.’ The fact that we haven’t done this in about 50 years is crazy Francois said she wakes up every morning thinking about practice and gets butterflies thinking about Friday’s game teachers—but school is the last thing on my mind And I’m guessing it’s the same for most of my teammates and we know we have something great in front of us that we can totally take advantage of.” The Phantoms are one of 12 teams practicing at The Driveway ahead of state They’ll play in the Division II semifinals at the Resch Center on Friday Containers of various boba tea flavors are seen on April 15 An order of Eat30 fried rice is seen on April 15 A bowl of volcano ramen is seen on April 15 UPDATE: The Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety has identified the 18-year-old who was killed in a motorcycle crash last Saturday night in Ashwaubenon the investigation is still ongoing and has been turned over to the Brown County Sheriff Crash Reconstruction Team BROWN COUNTY (WLUK) -- An 18-year old man died Saturday evening after he was thrown from his motorcycle following a crash with another vehicle in Brown County According to the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety around 11:25 p.m the man was driving his motorcycle south on Ashland Ave when he collided with a car turning onto Mike McCarthy Way He was thrown from his motorcycle and eventually transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead An 84-year-old Ashwaubenon woman was driving the other car and had serious but non-life threatening injuries She was also taken to an area hospital and is cooperating in the investigation GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Halfway through the first half West De Pere trailed Wauwatosa East by 12 points and the Red Raiders were making it look too easy but the Phantoms needed a response or face the fact rallying against a one-loss team with a double-digit lead was not ideal West De Pere responded and grabbed a two-point at halftime lead and then opened a six-point second-half lead Tosa East picked up the pace from that point and went on to end West De Pere's season with a 71-58 win in a Division 2 girls basketball state semifinal at the Resch Center "I like the fact that our girls didn't quit," coach Chris Abaray said "We could've been down double digits with the run they went on but we were able to respond they made more shots in the second half and that was huge." 3-seeded Tosa East (28-1) opened a 25-13 lead behind a fast-paced offense as West De Pere looked a step behind But Madisyn Berggren helped the Phantoms rally as she hit three first-half three-pointers en route to a 13-point half The Phantoms actually led 35-33 at the break and then baskets by Mia Racine and Berggren upped the lead to 39-33 "There wasn't a point in the game where we felt down," senior Faith Walder said "We kept huddling and kept our heads up and picked each other up." Tosa East then went on a 14-5 run to grab a 47-44 lead they pester a little bit," Abaray said You don't know when the traps are coming We just got forced into a couple rushed possessions and honestly it was more how they capitalized off your mistakes but in the second half when we made a mistake or it would go our way they seemed to be in rhythm." and West De Pere really had no other perimeter options Berggren was 4 for 9 from three-point range overall while the rest of the team made 1 of 12 threes "It became pretty evident when she started hitting shots they were flying two people at her," Abaray said of Berggren "They were making it hard for her to get a shot off there are some adjustments I would've made kind of how like we were hitting threes in the first half they caught fire in the second half and that ended up being the big difference down the stretch." but the postseason run was historic for the Phantoms "We had our ups and downs and we came out strong at the end Authors Michelle LeBrun, Lynda Drews, Joe Verdegan joined Rachel Manek on Good Day Wisconsin to talk about their books and their participation in the upcoming book fair Authors Among Us is free and open tot he public The Cedar Creek Event Center is located at 1018 Cedar St DE PERE (WLUK) -- A fire with an explosion was reported this afternoon at a duplex in De Pere Fox River Fire District were dispatched to the duplex at 2020 Terry Lane in De Pere due to the fire One occupant had made their way to the roof of the building to avoid the flames and was assisted down by occupants in the adjoined duplex smoke was showing from all sides of the house and there were signs of an explosion with multiple windows broken and debris laying in the yard The fire was quickly located in the basement and was extinguished by fire personnel from outside All occupants made it out of the residence and some cats were returned by FRFD to their owners One occupant was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries from the explosion All other occupants were evaluated and released from the scene The duplex sustained an estimated $550,000 in damages Red Cross was called to assist the residents and County Rescue all assisted at the scene The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.