Consuelo B. “Connie” Smith, 74, of Mattoon, formerly of Mukwonago, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, surrounded by her family. On Nov. 29, 1958, Connie was united in marriage to Walter J. Smith Jr. in Douglas, Arizona. He survives. She retired from the Mukwonago School District after 20-plus years. The couple then moved to Mattoon. They enjoyed their life together, traveling, going to different casinos but mostly spending time with family.

Pauline Heinz, 80, of Shawano, passed away on Nov. 19, 2014. Born on Nov. 8, 1934, in Manitowoc, she was the daughter of the late Fritz and Elsie (Glaubitz) Zander. Pauline and James R. Heinz were united in marriage on May 31, 1958, in Shawano. Pauline worked as a medical technician at the Cantwell Peterson Clinic and eventually ThedaCare Clinic for 45 years before retiring.

Mary Jane “Janie” Obry, 87, formerly of Shawano, passed away peacefully in her sleep early Wednesday morning at LindenGrove Nursing Home in New Berlin, where she had been a resident for the past six months. Janie was born on June 18, 1927, in Shawano, a daughter of the late Elmer and Laura (Mitchell) Schroeder. She attended Shawano schools, graduating from Shawano High School in 1945.

Shawano police have logged dozens of complaints over the past week about snow not being cleared from city sidewalks. “There’s a lot of misinformation or people not realizing we have to keep our sidewalks clear of snow,” Chief Mark Kohl said. The Police Department is also asking people to consider helping their neighbors clear the snow if their neighbors find it difficult. “We’ve all heard of mishaps of pedestrians slipping and falling as a result

Bonduel High School graduate Reba McClone narrowly missed becoming a national FFA officer at the organization’s convention in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this month. McClone, a 2012 BHS graduate who attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in life science and dairy science communications, was among 21 finalists for six national positions. “I was blessed to sit around the best candidates during the process,” McClone said.

The city of Shawano is planning $2.1 million worth of capital improvement projects and purchases as part of the 2015 budget adopted Wednesday by the Common Council. The biggest ticket projects are major street reconstructions, but the city is hoping to ease the financial burden of future projects by putting more money into street and sidewalk maintenance. “It’s a new area of emphasis,” Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said. The city will t

GIRLS BASKETBALL Bonduel 80 Coleman 34 Jen Dowden scored 24 points and Bonduel improved to 2-0 on the season Thursday with a nonconference win over Coleman in Bonduel. Dowden also had seven assists. Deanna Zernicke hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points.

The Gresham Community High School girls basketball team is in the W column for the first time since the 2012-13 season after taking down nonconference foe White Lake 43-40 in the season opener Thursday in Gresham. The Wildcats started slowly against White Lake, but soon got its offense going, and rallied to a lead in the second half before holding on to get the win. “It’s good, obviously, to get the first win of the year in the first game,” Gresh

Buck Fever Night came with a new twist Tuesday. The event, held annually on the Tuesday prior to the opening of the gun deer season for roughly 40 years, is intended to get area residents in the mood for the nine-day hunt. While past events have focused primarily on the men who love to hunt, Carol Schneider, chairwoman of the event sponsored by the Shawano County Conservation Association, opted this year to add more female-friendly vendors and ac