The Cellcom Green Bay Marathon is just a month away, and among the nearly 9,000 runners taking part is a group of police officers running in full uniform. They’re trying to raise money and awareness along the way, in honor of some very special people. Among the sea of marathon runners dressed head to toe in athletic gear, Kyle Betzner will quickly stand out.

Darwin “Nubby” Higgins, 81, has spent the past eight months in hospitals in Appleton, Milwaukee and West Allis. He and his wife, Shirley, are now hoping they can be back in their rural Clintonville home before the end of the month. A fundraiser is being planned May 2 at Clintonville Lanes by family and friends to help Higgins with the medical care that he needs. On Mother’s Day last year, Higgins fell and tore his rotator cuff.

Night one of the 2015 racing season is in the books, and defending track champions Ron Berna in the Late Model ranks and Travis VanStraten in the IMCA Stock Car division had strong showings on the way to feature wins. Berna passed early leader Brett Swedberg and subsequently held off challenges from Swedberg en route to victory. For Swedberg, it was a rough weekend.

Shawano Police Department April 23 Police logged 41 incidents, including the following: Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Lafayette and Second streets. Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St. Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 S.

The Bonduel Village Board on Thursday approved the new village president’s appointment of Luka Zischka to fill a vacant trustee seat. Zischka teaches social studies and is an assistant girls basketball coach at Bonduel High School. He graduated from St. Norbert College in 2011. Zischka will take the seat vacated by Sharon Wussow, who was elected president in the spring election.

A fundraising campaign is under way to help New Beginnings Community Thrift Store in Clintonville purchase 11 gondola shelving units. The units are wheeled, can be adjusted to different heights and can accommodate a wide variety of shelves and bins.

SOFTBALL Shawano gets sweep over Menasha Freshman Erin Cerveny starred on the mound and at the plate Friday as the Shawano Community High School softball team defeated Menasha 6-1 and 13-12 in Menasha. Cerveny earned both victories on the mound, hit a grand slam home run and totaled four hits and eight RBIs.

Junior Zeke Gueths and senior Daniel Boivin scored double wins Thursday to lead the Shawano Community High School boys track team to a first-place finish at the Dale Peterson Invitational at Antigo High School. The Shawano girls placed third, behind champion Medford and runnerup Clintonville. Gueths won the shot put with a throw of 44 feet, 4.5 inches. His best throw in the discus went 133-3. Boivin won the 300 hurdles in 43.12 seconds.

A Neopit man who attacked his girlfriend with a hammer last fall was sentenced this week in federal court to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Scott A. Rettler, 45, pleaded guilty in January to an assault that caused substantial bodily injury in an Oct. 14 attack on a woman he was dating, according to court records. He has been in custody since Nov.