Paige Schonfelder, a nurse at a Fox Valley hospital, started her career just two months before the coronavirus pandemic hit Wisconsin. After a quiet spring and summer, she's worried what fall could hold as COVID-19 patients flood hospitals across the state. One of Paige Schonfelder's recent COVID-19 patients told her she'd done everything right.The woman had a compromised immune system, so she'd heeded experts' advice to stay home and avoid social gatherings. She must have picked it up at the grocery store, she told Schonfelder.For weeks, the woman suffered alone at a Fox Valley...…Paige Schonfelder, a nurse at a Fox Valley hospital, started her career just two months before the coronavirus pandemic hit Wisconsin. After a quiet spring and summer, she's worried what fall could hold as COVID-19 patients flood hospitals across the state. One of Paige Schonfelder's recent COVID-19 patients told her she'd done everything right.The woman had a compromised immune system, so she'd heeded experts' advice to stay home and avoid social gatherings. She must have picked it up at the grocery store, she told Schonfelder.For weeks, the woman suffered alone at a Fox Valley...WW…

Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsBed capacity in Fox Valley hospitals is now seriously threatened by the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the region, health care leaders said Thursday. The speed of the spread of the virus could more than double the number of needed hospital beds by the end of this month, ThedaCare senior innovation executive Frank Mellon told community stakeholders in a virtual meeting. Models initially projected a peak of 114 beds needed to care for COVID-19 patients in the region, Mellon said. Now, they'll need close to 180 — and could need a...…Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsBed capacity in Fox Valley hospitals is now seriously threatened by the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the region, health care leaders said Thursday. The speed of the spread of the virus could more than double the number of needed hospital beds by the end of this month, ThedaCare senior innovation executive Frank Mellon told community stakeholders in a virtual meeting. Models initially projected a peak of 114 beds needed to care for COVID-19 patients in the region, Mellon said. Now, they'll need close to 180 — and could need a...WW…

Appleton Post-CrescentGRAND CHUTE – Police have arrested the 17-year-old suspected of fatally shooting one man and injuring another Jan. 31 at the Fox River Mall. Here’s what we know about the shooting:MORE:MORE: MORE: MOREMORE:Contact Jake Prinsen at jprinsen@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PrinsenJake. …Appleton Post-CrescentGRAND CHUTE – Police have arrested the 17-year-old suspected of fatally shooting one man and injuring another Jan. 31 at the Fox River Mall. Here’s what we know about the shooting:MORE:MORE: MORE: MOREMORE:Contact Jake Prinsen at jprinsen@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PrinsenJake. WW…

MONEY Becky JacobsAppleton Post-CrescentNEENAH – Before a Huggies diaper ever reaches a hospital and is wrapped around a preterm baby, it is carefully inspected and packaged by hand by an employee in Neenah.On Thursday morning, Natalie Schuelke sat at a metal table in Kimberly-Clark's Prototype and Experimental (KCPX) Facility and picked up a Huggies nano preemie diaper, so small it fit in the palm of her purple gloved hand. First, she looked at the outside, before flipping the diaper over to feel and examine the interior. Next, she folded the diaper and placed it under a silver metal...…MONEY Becky JacobsAppleton Post-CrescentNEENAH – Before a Huggies diaper ever reaches a hospital and is wrapped around a preterm baby, it is carefully inspected and packaged by hand by an employee in Neenah.On Thursday morning, Natalie Schuelke sat at a metal table in Kimberly-Clark's Prototype and Experimental (KCPX) Facility and picked up a Huggies nano preemie diaper, so small it fit in the palm of her purple gloved hand. First, she looked at the outside, before flipping the diaper over to feel and examine the interior. Next, she folded the diaper and placed it under a silver metal...WW…

Sophia Voight, Jack KellyAppleton Post-Crescent, Wisconsin WatchThis story was produced as part of the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab, a consortium of six news outlets covering northeastern Wisconsin.Over the past seven months, journalists across six newsrooms in the NEW News Lab consortium have talked with northeast Wisconsin families about hurdles they face.Across 21 stories, families have shared their struggles to secure child care, feed their children, connect with mental health resources and cope with rising senior care costs.Additionally, families and the people working in the...…Sophia Voight, Jack KellyAppleton Post-Crescent, Wisconsin WatchThis story was produced as part of the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab, a consortium of six news outlets covering northeastern Wisconsin.Over the past seven months, journalists across six newsrooms in the NEW News Lab consortium have talked with northeast Wisconsin families about hurdles they face.Across 21 stories, families have shared their struggles to secure child care, feed their children, connect with mental health resources and cope with rising senior care costs.Additionally, families and the people working in the...WW…

Kelli ArseneauAppleton Post-CrescentAfter six episodes focused primarily on Steven Avery, the seventh episode of "Convicting a Murderer" addresses narratives around Brendan Dassey, Avery's nephew who was convicted along with Avery of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach."Convicting a Murderer" is a rebuttal to Netflix's "Making a Murderer," which since its premiere in 2015, has brought international attention to the Manitowoc-area homicide and convictions of Avery and Dassey.Streaming on conservative media platform DailyWire+,"Convicting a Murderer" aims to highlight evidence that Avery...…Kelli ArseneauAppleton Post-CrescentAfter six episodes focused primarily on Steven Avery, the seventh episode of "Convicting a Murderer" addresses narratives around Brendan Dassey, Avery's nephew who was convicted along with Avery of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach."Convicting a Murderer" is a rebuttal to Netflix's "Making a Murderer," which since its premiere in 2015, has brought international attention to the Manitowoc-area homicide and convictions of Avery and Dassey.Streaming on conservative media platform DailyWire+,"Convicting a Murderer" aims to highlight evidence that Avery...WW…

Madison LammertAppleton Post-CrescentWith the average annual cost of child care in Wisconsin easily surpassing that of college, many families may struggle to afford child care. However, there are places they can turn to for help.A new report from Wisconsin Counties Association's Forward Analytics found child care for one child can average up to 18%-36% of a family's income. For families with two children, costs can reach as high as 70% of their income, the report said. These figures far exceed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 7% affordability threshold.Things stand to get...…Madison LammertAppleton Post-CrescentWith the average annual cost of child care in Wisconsin easily surpassing that of college, many families may struggle to afford child care. However, there are places they can turn to for help.A new report from Wisconsin Counties Association's Forward Analytics found child care for one child can average up to 18%-36% of a family's income. For families with two children, costs can reach as high as 70% of their income, the report said. These figures far exceed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 7% affordability threshold.Things stand to get...WW…

Milwaukee Journal SentinelMADISON - The state Senate on Tuesday voted to end the statewide mandate to wear face masks — one of the most effective protections against the virus for the vast majority of Wisconsin residents who are not yet vaccinated.   The move could put Wisconsin in a minority of states without such a statewide requirement and has drawn opposition from organizations representing hospital leaders, churches, doctors, emergency medical workers, pharmacists, small-business owners and concert venues. "Other than vaccines, mask-wearing is...…Milwaukee Journal SentinelMADISON - The state Senate on Tuesday voted to end the statewide mandate to wear face masks — one of the most effective protections against the virus for the vast majority of Wisconsin residents who are not yet vaccinated.   The move could put Wisconsin in a minority of states without such a statewide requirement and has drawn opposition from organizations representing hospital leaders, churches, doctors, emergency medical workers, pharmacists, small-business owners and concert venues. "Other than vaccines, mask-wearing is...WW…

Appleton Post-CrescentGRAND CHUTE - Police are looking for a 17-year-old suspect who they believe was involved in a shooting that killed a man and injured another person at the Fox River Mall on Sunday.Police responded to the mall around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Shots were fired inside the mall, near the food court.Jovanni J. Frausto, 19, of Neenah, died from his injuries. The other victim was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital, the Grand Chute Police Department said late Sunday night.Police are looking for Dezman V. Ellis, 17, who they believe is driving a blue...…Appleton Post-CrescentGRAND CHUTE - Police are looking for a 17-year-old suspect who they believe was involved in a shooting that killed a man and injured another person at the Fox River Mall on Sunday.Police responded to the mall around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Shots were fired inside the mall, near the food court.Jovanni J. Frausto, 19, of Neenah, died from his injuries. The other victim was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital, the Grand Chute Police Department said late Sunday night.Police are looking for Dezman V. Ellis, 17, who they believe is driving a blue...WW…

Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsAPPLETON - One in four Appleton Area School District high school students failed at least one class last semester while instruction remained online due to COVID-19.Broken down by grade level, district data revealed 23% of 12th-graders, 28% of 11th-graders, 30% of 10th-graders and 28% of ninth-graders at Appleton's North, East and West high schools failed at least one class during fall semester.And about the same amount (20%) of high school students had received an incomplete for fall semester, meaning they have an additional two weeks to earn a...…Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsAPPLETON - One in four Appleton Area School District high school students failed at least one class last semester while instruction remained online due to COVID-19.Broken down by grade level, district data revealed 23% of 12th-graders, 28% of 11th-graders, 30% of 10th-graders and 28% of ninth-graders at Appleton's North, East and West high schools failed at least one class during fall semester.And about the same amount (20%) of high school students had received an incomplete for fall semester, meaning they have an additional two weeks to earn a...WW…