PLYMOUTH, WI (WHBL) - Not driving with headlights on this past weekend was the catalyst for a Sheboygan man to face his fourth OWI offense.

Prosecutors charged 27 year old Matthew Leveque Monday after he was stopped by Plymouth Police early Saturday morning for not having headlights on.  The criminal complaint says Leveque thought his lights were on because his dashboard lights were working.

The complaint adds that when talking to the driver, the officer noticed the smell of intoxicants in the vehicle and that Leveque had slurred speech.  Leveque claimed his passenger was drunk and he only had a few drinks.  Following field sobriety tests, the officer arrested Leveque for being too drunk to drive.

In addition to the OWI, his fourth in five years, Leveque was charged with operating while revoked, possessing Adderall, and bail jumping.  He now faces over eight years in prison and fines over 25-thousand dollars if found guilty of all charges.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - A Sheboygan woman was given six months of jail time and 18 months probation for stealing over 75-thousand dollars of items from an area home.

23 year old Amber Loucks was sentenced by Judge Timothy Van Akkeren last week after she pleaded no contest to a felony theft charge.

Loucks was charged in August in connection to the April burglary of a home on Bleyer Drive in the Town of Wilson.  The homeowner said five high-quality mountain bikes, electronics, and tools were taken from the home.

It was not until over a month later when investigators found surveillance video of some of the items being pawned at a Pawn America in the Green Bay area, with Loucks and another woman trying to sell it.  When interviewed, Loucks reportedly said the items were stolen and sold so that she could get money to pay bills.

ADELL, WI (WHBL) - One person could face a number of charges for trying to steal money from an ATM in Adell this past weekend.

Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Captain Cory Roeseler says the department got word of an alarm activated at the National Exchange Bank in Adell around 10:40 p.m. October 31.  Arriving deputies found someone attempted to break into the ATM, but had fled before they arrived.

With assistance from a Plymouth Police officer and K9 unit, a vehicle was spotted at a nearby business with a male suspect that matched the description of the suspect who tried to break into the ATM.

The person was arrested for possible burglary, possessing burglary tools, criminal damage to property, and bail jumping.

Captain Roeseler says the department continues to investigate the incident.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - The City of Sheboygan is set to re-implement a wheel tax to increase funding for road projects within its limits.

The tax would be 20 dollars a year for any vehicle that typically resides within the city, and will be paid when its state registration is renewed.

Mayor Mike Vandersteen says there has been some who are confused over the actual cost.  “Some think that it is going to be because you have two axles it will be 40 dollars, but it’s only 20 dollars per car per year when you renew.”

Vandersteen adds that there are also some who believe funds from the previous wheel tax did not go to road repair.  He says as far as he knows, all funds from the previous tax were spent properly.  “Some people have the feeling that the money could be spent for other things, and I think the aldermen have put a double protection into the legislation that we passed to see that that will not happen.”

The wheel tax is expected to raise under a million dollars a year, which will help the city take on road projects sooner.  Vandersteen says every road will be repaired, but it will take time and be done on a priority basis.  “So the roads that the people travel on the most will be addressed first, based on their condition.  And then the roads that are less traveled in the neighborhood areas will again be approached on their priority within those districts and the condition of those roads.”

Overall, Vandersteen says the new wheel tax is about making sure the city is doing all that it can to keep roads in good shape.  “We can’t meet their needs and keep their roads repaired without additional funds.”

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - The first Tuesday after the first Monday of November is Election Day in the United States.  Some states are having elections for gubernatorial offices, and there is a noted marijuana referendum in Ohio.

Here in Wisconsin, only a handful of school districts and local governments are having elections today.  None are happening in Sheboygan County, but Sheboygan City Clerk Sue Richards told WHBL News Monday she has been getting some calls lately asking if there is a presidential election happening today.

“The presidential is next year in November so we have another year to wait," says Richards.  "I think they are hearing so much on TV that they’re confused that it could be tomorrow, and it’s not.  So we don’t want people running to their polls to think that they could vote when they can’t.”

Richards says the next elections in our area could be in February.  That is when primaries are held for spring general elections.  As of now, there is a likely primary statewide to narrow the field of candidates for a seat on the State Supreme Court.  Final ballot decisions won't be made until early January.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - A WHBL listener wanted to share a picture they took along the mouth of the Sheboygan River as the sun began to rise Tuesday morning.  The Army tug boat, with "Kenosha" on its sides, was along the south side of the river next to Blue Harbor Resort.

A person with the U.S. Coast Guard's office in Sheboygan could not say officially why the tug boat is in Sheboygan, other than he saw it Monday evening.

WHBL News has confirmed it is not here to help with the fix needed for the bridge on Eighth Street.  Mike Williams with Sheboygan's Public Works Department says the city has ordered the parts needed to fix the gate that was damaged in an accident last month that prevented the bridge from operating for a few days.  The plan is to have the bridge fixed around mid-December.

For now, the bridge can still operate, but anyone who needs its open will need to contact the city with at least one hour notice so additional personnel can block traffic where the gate was damaged so vehicles and people don't go on it when it begins to open.

Sheboygan, WI (WHBL) - When the new year rolls around for the Dean of UW-Sheboygan, that campus and other UW system campuses should be just getting well-adjusted to sweeping changes brought on by the state’s latest biennial budget.

Jackie Joseph-Silverstein of UW-Sheboygan has been named Southeast Regional Executive Officer and Dean of the University of Wisconsin System. It is a role for which Silverstein feels destined.

“My passion is student success - in helping students who might not otherwise be able to get higher education that we’re able to provide them with the opportunities to do that.”

The college system is in the throes of major restructuring due to significant budget cuts. Part of that restructuring for the UW system has led to the downsizing of key staff positions, including the thirteen campus Dean positions. Those posts are now covered regionally by four Executive Officers. Joseph-Silverstein is among the four deans who made the cut by landing the big regional promotion.

“I’m very excited about that,” Silverstein says.

“Sheboygan is part of the Southeast region which includes Waukesha and West Bend, and as opposed to just being the title or just the executive officer and Dean at UW Sheboygan, I will be responsible for the region as regional executive officer and Dean.”

The new Regional Dean believes that this restructuring plan will better position UW system students to capitalize on the expansive programs that are offered between campuses.

“I think in this new regional role, there are going to be lots of additional opportunities to take advantage of things that are happening on the other campuses in the other regions. New course opportunities for students.”

The largest of the campuses, Silverstein says, is Waukesha. “I believe these days they have around 2,100 students. Washington County has a little less than 800, Sheboygan a little less than 700. So, probably there are 37- to-3800 students between the three campuses.”

For Silverstein, there is nothing new or profound about the rise in status or level of responsibility. Silverstein assumed the role of Dean at UW-Sheboygan three years ago. Her Resume’ wreaks of versatility.

“I come from a lot of different places, higher education. Prior to this job I worked at Cayuga community college in Cleveland Ohio where I was the Provost Executive Vice President of that institution. Then I moved to Milwaukee as a trailing spouse and I worked for about 13 months at the blood Center of Wisconsin as their research administrator at the Blood Research Institute - which is on the Milwaukee County campus.”

Moving forward, Silverstein believes the regional posts will foster greater collaboration across the UW system.

“It’s an exciting time. It’s going to be challenging. It’s going to be a good challenge.”

Sheboygan, WI (WHBL) – The trip was about a year in the making, but was well worth the 20 years of marriage that it took Sheboygan District 5 Alderman Billy Thiel and his wife  Brenda to come up with the idea to visit “The Price is Right” game show.

The Thiels booked a trip to Hawaii to celebrate their 10 year anniversary and decided a decade later to again either go big, or stay home. They opted to go big, and sent off for tickets to a taping of The Price is Right.

“We were going out to California for our 20^th anniversary to meet some of our relatives out there, and I was sitting there one morning on my day off watching TV - watching the Price is Right. They said go online and look for tickets. So I was like, hey we’re going to be out there, let’s give it a check. So I went on there, put my name in there, and got two tickets for the day that happened to be the day of our anniversary, so it worked out well,” Thiel says.

The hit CBS daytime television show has been airing in living rooms across the country since the Fall of 1972.  Since then, millions of fans have dreamt of hearing hosts of the show yell to them “Come On Down! You’re the next contestant on the Price is Right!”

The Thiels were hoping to be among the guests chosen to play PLINKO, the Shell game, 3 Strikes, win a vacation, or a “NEW CA-A-R-R-R!”

Sadly, the couple did not make it onstage, but were treated to front row seats for their anniversary, which allowed them to be smack dab in the center of all of the show activity.

“Once we got into the studio itself, it was just so neat to see how everything comes together that you see on TV.”

The Thiels are visible at least three times throughout the recent episode, which aired in late October.

Theil says though the event was quite thrilling, he is not about to quit his day job for Hollywood.

Sheboygan, WI (WHBL) – She’s out of more than a thousand dollars.

-And to make matters worse, it was the “Nice Little Old Lady” scheme that bilked a Racine woman out of more than $1,300.00 in a years-old Craigslist scam.

The victim, who will only be identified as Sarah for the purpose of this story, is choosing to share her account publicly in hopes of helping to keep others from being taken for the same ride. Even Sarah can’t believe that she fell victim to an online scam that has been highly publicized over the years in both consumer protection warnings and news reports. “I always thought, no -I would never fall for something like that. I could never be duped by something like that. Unfortunately I was,” Sarah says.

More commonly, law enforcement agencies issue warnings of the scam whenever there appears to be an uptick in local activity. That was the case earlier this week when the Sheboygan Police Department issued a Nixel alert to warn area residents of new activity targeting people who are seeking housing on Craigslist.

Here’s how it works.

 Criminals copy legitimate housing listings that are posted online, then re-post those listings on Craigslist as rentals – for typically well below market value. Then, when non-suspecting individuals express interest in the property, the scammer demands that money be submitted up front. In most cases, the money is either wired, or paid through some other instant transaction.

In this case, Sarah purchased a MoneyGram money order, eager to land a spot for herself and her pets.  “I answered an ad for a home for rent. I have three dogs and three cats.” She found a home at 2328 Kroos Ct. in Sheboygan, posted on Craigslist.

Sarah prides herself on being nobody’s fool.  But, she acknowledges being fooled after temporarily letting her guard down, which is all it takes.

It was the perfect storm.

To be clear, it should be noted that Sarah owns a home in Racine where she lost her job on October 2^nd.  By October 12^th, Sarah was hired for a new job in Sheboygan and moved in with her parents in order to start the new job, and avoid the daily commute between Racine and Sheboygan.

From day one, Sarah says, staying with her parents was never intended to be a long-term solution to an arduous commute. Her goal was to find an affordable rental in Sheboygan, and return to Racine on the weekends.  That’s what Sarah says made a particular Craigslist ad stand out.

 “The person on the other line identified herself as Teresa Ruiz and said I’ve got this home for $600 a month and that includes utilities, and I’m going to allow your dogs there. It’s got a garage and a fenced-in yard…I should’ve known it was too good to be true,” Sarah laments.

“We talked back and forth and she sent me some pictures,” she says.

Anxious to secure the great deal before the next desperate renter could catch a whiff of the bargain, Sarah checked out the property on her own.

 “I went to the house and peaked in the Windows and said all right I will do it. We MoneyGram’d her $1300 for the deposit and first month’s rent. Then, she said she wanted another $700 for repairs on the house and I said no, I don’t have another $700 I can’t do that. We went back and forth with that, and then finally I said I’m done, I want my money back. She said no, I’m sorry it doesn’t work that way, and that was that.”

Sarah reported the scam to Sheboygan police which has launched an investigation.

In the meantime, Sarah launched an investigation of her own, going back to the house where this time, she noticed the legitimate realty listing for the home. It turns out, the house is for sale. Sarah contacted the realtor,  Julie Kath, and informed her of the bogus Craigslist ad.

Kath, who also serves on the Sheboygan Common Council, is working with Sarah and Sheboygan police in their investigation. They are all hoping that something will pop up in the paper trail that will lead investigators to the woman behind this latest scam.

Until then, Sarah is struggling to recoup her losses but wants to keep other renters from losing out, like she did, noting the scam using the same house continues.

“I really don’t have much unless we find the person. They have relisted the house on craigslist twice now. The first time the detective spoke to Craigslist and they took it down. The second time I contacted craigslist and they took it down.”

Sarah admits that in hindsight, there were tell-tale signs of a scam like the fact that 100 percent of the communication between she and the scammer was via email, both before and after she sent the money.

RANDOM LAKE, WI (WHBL) - A former employee and upstairs neighbor to a Random Lake tavern that was robbed this week was charged Tuesday.

31 year old Russell Miller faces a burglary charge for allegedly stealing money from gaming machines inside the Booz’ In Tavern early Monday morning.

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance video caught the crime as it happened.  It shows a person walking around the tavern to various gaming machines and taking money from them.  It also revealed the suspect also grabbed a lighter before leaving.

Based on the footage and the way the suspect knew his way around the tavern, the tavern owner suspected Miller as the thief.  The owner said Miller was fired the previous week for being unreliable in coming to work.

When investigators met with Miller, he reportedly confessed to the crime.  He said he took around 170 dollars from the machines and used it to purchase gas, food, and help maintain a daily heroin addiction he has had for about a year.

Miller now faces over 12 years in prison and a fine up to 25-thousand dollars if found guilty.

ADELL, WI (WHBL) - It was an Oostburg man who is accused of trying to break into an ATM in Adell over the Halloween weekend.  Sheboygan County prosecutors charged 31 year old Andrew Feyereisen Tuesday with burglary, criminal damage to an ATM, possession of burglary tools, and bail jumping.

Sheboygan County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the National Exchange Bank in Adell around 11 p.m. last Saturday.  The criminal complaint states a bank employee noticed a man was using a crowbar to try to break into the ATM, but was unsuccessful.

A search of the nearby area, with assistance from a Plymouth Police K9 unit, located Feyereisen inside a vehicle parked in a nearby business parking lot.  Surveillance video connected him as a possible suspect, and a search of his vehicle found tools similar to the one used on the ATM.

When interviewed, Feyereisen reportedly said he had been without steady work for several years, and decided just that night to try to get money from the ATM.

He now faces over 20 years in prison if found guilty of all charges he faces.

MADISON, WI (WHBL) - The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, and they could decide if they will go with Governor Scott Walker’s request to borrow more money to pay for road projects across the state.

While not on the committee, area state Senator Devin LeMahieu could be considered part of the group that is hesitant to borrow more.  "I don’t think we can just do it on borrowing alone, because that becomes unsustainable at some point.  We just keep kicking the can down the road and borrowing more money."

However, LeMahieu has reservations on how to raise the additional money.  He says he is not in favor of only raising the gas tax to cover the over one-billion dollars requested by Governor Scott Walker when the budget was proposed earlier this year.  "That’d be 19 cents a gallon; which is a lot of money for consumers spread throughout the year."

LeMahieu says he will support plans to delay projects and funding in the Department of Transportation when it can be done with no impact on services.  Still, he also says finding a reliable funding source is necessary to avoid future shortfalls and delays.

The Joint Finance Committee's decision could be to increase borrowing by up to 350 million dollars through mid-2017.  Approval of this decision would shorten delays announced by the Department of Transportation to five major road projects.  One of those projects is the Highway 23 expansion project between Plymouth and Fond du Lac.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) -  After several delays, an Appleton man finally found out Tuesday how much jail time he'll serve for trafficking teenage girls for sex in the Sheboygan area.

Judge L. Edward Stengel sentenced 30 year old Pao Chang to 18 years in a state prison, followed by 15 years of extended supervision.

The case itself goes back to 2012, when a car crash in Clark County involving Chang began a months-long investigation into an alleged prostitution ring.  Investigators determined Chang forced the underage women to perform sexual acts with other men, so that he could get money and claim to keep them under his protection.

Just before a trial was to start in May, Chang reached a plea deal where he was found guilty of one count each of human trafficking and trafficking of a child.  Afterwards, Chang and his defense attorneys tried several times to back out of the deal, but Judge Stengel denied all such motions.

TOWN OF SHERMAN, WI (WHBL) - One person is dead after being struck by a vehicle north of Random Lake Wednesday morning.

The Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department says they received a 911 cellular call just before 6 a.m. of the accident.  It occurred in the southbound lanes of Highway 57 approximately 300 yards north of Abbott Drive in the Town of Sherman.

Lieutenant Jason Liermann says the pedestrian died at the scene.  The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

For a time, traffic around the accident scene was blocked to give officials room to investigate.

Liermann says more information is expected following notification of family members.

Manitowoc,WI (WHBL-WOMT) - A 19 year old Sheboygan man is facing numerous charges in connection to a stabbing that occurred in Manitowoc Monday morning.

Detective Mike Stone of the Manitowoc Police Department says Gerson Camarillo went to his soon to be ex-wife's residence on Dewey Street to drop off an item.

Upon entering he saw her new boyfriend, 18- year old Christian Amador Bower, alone in bed. Camarillo grabbed a knife from the kitchen and began slashing and stabbing Amador. He made his way to the Dew Stop Inn convenience store, where he received medical attention.

Upon leaving, Camarillo punched out the front door window, severely cutting open his arm. His mother - unfamiliar with the area - ended up with her son at city hall where medical attention was administered. Gerson was operated on at Holy Family Memorial, then was transported  to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee, where he's recovering from his injury.

Christian was taken to Aurora Baycare in Green Bay for exploratory surgery on non life threatening injuries, and was released Tuesday.

Sheboygan, WI(WHBL) - The arrest of 53-year-old Kimberly J Wenzel at her Indiana Avenue apartment was months in the making. A criminal complaint filed in Sheboygan County court cites a high volume of traffic seen going to and from Wenzel’s apartment in the months leading up to her arrest.

The case began to build back on April 16, 2015. That’s when a confidential informant working with the Sheboygan County MEG unit initiated a heroin purchase from a man identified as Jeffery Lathon.   Detectives were investigating Lathon for allegedly dealing heroin in the Sheboygan area. Contact was made with Lathon, who reportedly stated that he would be in Sheboygan on Friday, April 17.

Investigators were again listening-in on Friday, April 17 when the informant and Lathon agreed to meet for the alleged drug deal. That is when Lathon implicated Kimberly Wenzel as a party to the drug trafficking, by telling the informant to meet him where they always meet - which was Kimberly’s apartment.

The informant was wired with recording devices and entered the apartment where the drug deal allegedly transpired in the presence of Kimberly.

Kimberly reportedly told the informant that she was starting to get headaches from the high volume of traffic coming to and from her apartment, in particular from someone wanting to buy an “8 ball” of product, which refers to 1/8 ounce. She is heard telling the informant that she had to wait for Lathon in order to deliver that amount of heroin.

Wenzel is charged with felony counts of manufacturing and delivering heroin, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. She could face nearly 20 years in prison on the combined charges, if convicted.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - The John Michael Kohler Arts Center began a free summer concert series in 2014, but for 2015 they took steps to increase its presence in Sheboygan.  Teaming with the City of Sheboygan and Sheboygan Squared, the series saw a weekly event consisting of several performances, food trucks, and other activities.

The results were impressive for JMKAC personnel.  "We exceeded all of the goals that we had set, so we’re excited to look forward to next year’s concerts," says Deputy Director for Programming Amy Hort.  Attendance to the series was around 14-thousand, more than the expected 11-thousand.

Hort says there were more than just the wide array of music that brought people to downtown Sheboygan.  “Some people really loved the lawn atmosphere and being able to set up with their families.  We had a lot of comments from people that they really enjoyed the comaraderie and the community of it and really having a moment every Thursday that they could come together with their friends and family and just enjoy something in a public space.”

The impact was also felt beyond the arts center.  Cynthia Echols, Chief Advancement Office for JMKAC, says the economic impact to that area was greater than expected by 130-thousand dollars.  She credits working with others for this success. “The city has been a fantastic partner for the arts center, and there in with us again already as is Sheboygan Squared, the business improvement district.”

Echols adds this concert series is the first step towards the city's development of a culture, arts, dining district.  “Serve not only our community members but also tourism, and this is one of the first steps towards that, where we’re driving people into that urban corridor, giving them something really wonderful to do.”

SO WHAT'S NEXT?

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center, the City of Sheboygan, and Sheboygan Squared will be working together again to continue the concert series in 2016.  Dates will be June 16 through August 18.

Horst says there will be a few changes following comments received from the public, but some things will remain the same.  “People loved the food trucks, they loved the activities.   Actually they’ve asked for some more activities.  So I think we’ll probably have activities that go the length of the concerts rather than having them beforehand.”

Horst adds there is also a growing interest in having more groups be a part of the series in some form.  “We’re really trying to figure out how we can do with a streamlined system to get as many people involved and as part of that concert series as possible.  So we’ve started talking to some partners and reaching out to folks already.”

The big question is who will perform their music at the series.  Last year there was a wide variety from rock to blues to country to hip hop to ethnic folk. “We had really run the gamut as far as styles of music, and we plan to do that again this year," says Danika Williamson, JMKAC Performing Arts Coordinator.  She says there are feelers being put out in the Sheboygan area to see what people would like to see next year.

The series was helped in getting talent by receiving a 25-thousand dollar grant from Levitt Amp, nearly doubling their budget to pay for artist's fees.  The arts center is again looking to get another grant.  “All the money from the grant goes towards artists fees, so that enables us to bring in higher level performances for the year," says Horst.  She adds if they don't get the grant, the concert series will continue on, but the talent may not be as well known.

Online voting is underway to determine which 15 concert series across the country will receive a grant.  Find out more by clicking here.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - A Sheboygan Falls man will have to serve nine months in jail after committing his fifth OWI offense in June.

Judge L. Edward Stengel sentenced Steven Schieble Monday after he reached a plea deal that had him plead no contest to the OWI, while a charge for operating with a PAC was dropped.

Schieble was charged after a Sheboygan Falls Police officer noticed a vehicle driving erratically in the downtown area.  A traffic stop led officers to determine the driver, identified as Schieble, to be under the influence with a blood alcohol level more than one-and-a-half times over the legal limit.

Also part of the sentence for Schieble is three years of probation, and three years of both his license being revoked and having to use an ignition interlock.

SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - A Sheboygan man was fortunate to have suffered only injuries when his vehicle ended up in a corn field north of Waldo back in June, but he now will have to face the punishment for driving drunk.

52 year old Jeffrey Houseye was sentenced Tuesday for his third OWI offense.

The accident occurred at the north intersection of highways 57 and 28 in the Town of Lyndon.

The criminal complaint states a Sheboygan County Sheriff’s deputy noticed a vehicle was in the field, and found Houseye trapped inside injured. It was determined the vehicle crossed the four lanes of Highway 57 before flying into the field about 50 yards from the road.

As the accident was investigated, Houseye was found to have a blood alcohol level more than double the legal limit.

Judge Timothy Van Akkeren ordered Houseye to serve 85 days in jail, revoked his license for 30 months, and was ordered to use an ignition interlock for 30 months.

SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) - It has been tough for some to get around Sheboygan County’s two largest cities this road construction season, but the end is in sight.

The Wisconsin DOT said this week work replacing the deck and pavement on the 14th Street Bridge in Sheboygan has reached the point where traffic will be allowed on it for the first time since the Fourth of July weekend. Weather permitting, barriers blocking traffic will be removed Friday, by evening at the latest.

Work is not done on the bridge, as lanes will be reduced to one in each direction the next two weeks so bridge lighting is installed.  Also, the bridge’s parapet walls will be stained next spring.

Meanwhile in Plymouth, work on reconstructing Highway 67 has also reached the point where traffic is back allowed on it.  Work has been done since June between the Mullet River north to Suhrke Road repairing underground utilities and resurfacing the street.

The DOT says some minor final details are still being done, but that will not impact traffic.