Shawano Police Chief Ed Whealon, who retired Friday after more than 34 years with the department and 12 years as chief, could just as easily have been retiring as a game warden if he hadn’t been nudged in a different direction. “We had a career day in high school, and I thought being a game warden would be kind of neat,” Whealon said. That’s why when Whealon, who is originally from Fond du Lac, was being recruited as a football player by a number

Shawano’s new Park and Recreation Department director, Matt Hendricks, who started this week, was intrigued by the length of time his predecessor, Judy Judd, had been on the job. He saw a newspaper article about how Judd, Police Chief Ed Whealon, who retired Friday, and Public Works Director Rick Stautz, who retired last year, had all been in Shawano for more than 30 years. He thought there must be something about Shawano that kept them here. “Th

Belva Wiley Gleaves, “Wawa,” 97, of Gresham, formerly of Nashville, Tenn., passed away March 27, 2014. Belva was born and raised in Centerville, Tenn. She was loving, caring, loyal, strong-willed and sometimes feisty lady who loved her family deeply. She spent the last eight years of her life in Gresham living with her granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester C. Gleaves; daughter, Shirley House; son-in-law, Sam W.

A Clintonville school running club is getting an extra kick start from ThedaCare. The Longfellow Running Club received a grant from ThedaCare’s Community Health Improvement to help fund the program, which brings students together twice a week before school for training runs. After the runs, the students receive a healthy breakfast.

Shawano Police Department April 2 Police logged 26 incidents, including the following: Property Damage — Police responded to a property damage complaint in the parking lot at Walmart, 1244 E.

Two Shawano events in April will promote awareness of sexual assault. The third Dance Back the Night will be held April 11, and Take Back the Night will be held April 24. Both events highlight services provided to sexual assault victims in Shawano and Menominee counties, as well as the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe.

Ania Smith is already having a track and field season to remember, even if she has yet to get outside on an actual field. The Menominee Indian High School sophomore thrower set her sights on taking down Tasha Cleveland’s shot put record of 36 feet, 7 inches set in 1992. It seemed like a realistic goal.

With the Badgers advancing to the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament, it has become necessary to reschedule the appearance of the University of Wisconsin Varsity Band in Clintonville from Saturday to 7 p.m.

Editor’s note: The Shawano Leader was allowed behind-the-scenes access to Shawano County’s participation in Operation Vanguard over the weekend.