Champions remembered Arson charge filed Sports, Page 9 Local News, Page 3

Gun ownership, armed protests explode in 2020 News Analysis, Page 5

Tuesday, August 4, 2020 www.rivernewsonline.com | the official newspaper of the oneida county seat | 75 cents Local sheriff’s Liebscher gTehutrssda y ttoh three yeear sy in -eaharnsde d fdoownr th ef saenttenace l hi“tY-oua nont odnly- lerftu him n Additional six carceration and seven years following a 90-minute hear - there on the road like a departments extended supervision on the ing that included an emo - stray animal that you had months for drinking Class D felony of hit and run tional plea from the victim’s hit, but you did not call 911,” say no to while out on bond involving death. mother, Dorothy Holtslan - she said, addressing Lieb - By Heather Schaefer Liebscher, 54, will also der. scher directly. “You did not governor on OF THE RIVER NEWS serve an additional 6 months Holtslander asked the care about him at all. You for violating the conditions court to show Liebscher the have shown no respect for face masks Eleven months after he of his bond in the hit-and-run same “compassion and life. You have shown no re - left 23-year-old Sean Holts - case by consuming intoxi - mercy” he showed her son spect for this court or this lander’s battered body on a cants over Memorial Day when their lives collided on judge.” dark road and fled into the weekend. the evening of Aug, 28, 2019, According to his attorney Evers issues late summer night, Jeffrey Oneida County Circuit which in her estimation was statewide mask order; M. Liebscher was sentenced Judge Patrick O’Melia “none.” See Liebscher . . . page 11 challenges loom

By Richard Moore OF THE LAKELAND TIMES Gov. last week declared a new COVID-19 state of emer - gency and issued an order requiring all residents aged 5 and older to wear face masks in - doors through Sept. 28, but both the Oneida County and Vilas County sheriff’s departments quickly said “no thank you,” saying the order would not be enforced by their departments. According to the Mil - waukee Journal Sentinel, as of Friday, there are at least 17 sheriffs in the state who say they won’t enforce the order. In a July 31 statement, the Oneida County sher - iff’s department said it would neither enforce the face mask requirement JAMIE TAYLOR/RIVER NEWS nor respond to face mask complaints. “Aside from a belief GIzzy HRaverkAampfD, left, aSnd JAaidenL ThiUel resTponE d to the crowd during a car parade Friday, July 31, 2020 in honor of the Rhinelander High that this order is in viola - School Class of 2020. The parade wound its way to Rhinelander High School where the new grads received their diplomas. The gradua - tion of the constitution tion ceremony was held at Mike Webster Stadium. More information on the graduation of the Class of 2020 will be published in a future which all deputies of edition of the River News. Oneida County have sworn an oath to uphold, the governor’s order out - lines numerous reasons why a person may be ex - empt from wearing a NBy iStcepohanliee Kutsk i Colleogf teech notlogy tlo afacuilitante cstuhden tsfall Wtheerervmer the roe isn a dliriecnt pe oint of con - mask,” the release stated. RIVER NEWS FEATURES REPORTER demonstrating competency,” Ferrel ex - tact between a staff member and stu - “Several of these reasons plained. “With the help of some very dent — for instance at our Welcome When the state’s Safer at Home skilled instructional designers, our Center — we’ve equipped those areas See Mask Order . . . order went into effect in March the courses are turning out to be incredibly with plexiglas as well. We have desig - page 11 Nicolet College campus in Rhinelander engaging for students.” nated the six foot markings on our was closed to students and staff and Over the summer, Ferrel said stu - floor with stickers, so that people have nearly all of the school’s programming dents with incompletes in lab courses that visual… At this point, we’re limit - was shifted to an online format in an from the spring semester were invited ing the number of people who are effort to minimize transmission of the back to campus in order to finish those physically on campus so that we can novel coronavirus. But Kate Ferrel, ex - credits, but in a very measured capac - ensure we have time to clean surfaces ecutive vice president of academic and ity to avoid possible COVID-19 trans - and do deep cleaning in between any student affairs at Nicolet, said this was - mission. The college also held its courses that are going on right now.” n’t a major switch for the technical col - Criminal Justice Law Enforcement As fall draws near, the campus is still lege because the majority of its courses Academy under very strict social dis - closed to the public and only essential were already offered in an online or tancing requirements. staff are permitted there. The rest of distance-based format, and those “We have also equipped personal the faculty continues to work re - courses that weren’t already offered protective equipment throughout the motely. Ferrel said the school’s plan is virtually were altered to that format. campus,” Ferrel added. “At every en - to remain closed to the general public “We asked our faculty and staff to trance, there’s going to be masks avail - get creative and they’ve used all kinds able and also hand sanitizer… See Nicolet . . . page 2

INDEX TODAY: Classifieds ...... 6-7 Legal Notices ...... 8 Sports ...... 9-10 70 /46 Crossword Puzzle ...... 8 Opinion ...... 4 State ...... 5 WEATHER, PAGE 2 Employment ...... 7

1 TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 WWW.RIVERNEWSONLINE.COM PAGE 11

Liebscher Holtslander’s motorcy - woods, hid from police, “He was the light of a poverty-stricken Liebscher was impaired cle will never be and made it impossible my life,” she said of her area, and the time he by alcohol at the time From page 1 known, noted Oneida to investigate the son, adding that a par - spent visiting a hospice of the collision but County district attor - death,” the prosecutor ent’s need to keep her at age 12 holding his fa - noted that if he wasn’t Gary Cirilli, Liebscher ney Mike Schiek. said. “(Investigators) child safe doesn’t end ther’s hand as he suc - intoxicated, as he has was turning into his This is because Lieb - couldn’t draw blood to when he becomes an cumbed to cancer. claimed, “that’s worse” driveway at approxi - scher left the scene and determine whether he adult. She said her son was because it means he mately 10:20 p.m. Aug. avoided police for ap - was intoxicated.” “Being a parent is the not perfect, to be sure, was in control and sim - 28 when he struck a proximately 11 hours, Brian Liebscher is most important posi - but she stressed that he ply walked away from motorcycle operated making it impossible to serving 8 months in jail tion in life,” she said. did not run from his the scene. by Holtslander. Cirilli determine his blood al - for driving his younger “From the time your mistakes. O’Melia stated he re - indicated Liebscher cohol level at the time brother to Three Lakes child is born... their “When Sean made a ceived a number of let - misjudged what he was of the accident. Ac - that night and mislead - first breath becomes mistake he owned it. ters from individuals seeing, mistaking the cording to Schiek, Lieb - ing the investigators your first breath. Their He never walked away who vouched for Lieb - light on Holtslander’s scher told police he got who were searching needs become your from his responsibil - scher’s good character. motorcycle for a flash - out of his truck after for him. needs...their dreams ity,” she said, adding Two friends, Tim How - light being held by a the collision because he Jeffrey Liebscher your dreams. You live that she grieves for the ell and Nathan Shrock, pedestrian. was unsure of what he contacted authorities for them.. Keeping future her son, who addressed the court on “He misjudged what had struck. Liebscher, the next morning, Aug. them from harm’s way was living in St. Ger - the defendant’s behalf. was coming at him on who has both EMT 29, and eventually ad - is the single most im - main at the time of his Howell noted that Lieb - the highway,” Cirilli training and a nursing mitted to striking Holt - portant thought in your death, should have had. scher had been an altar said before reciting degree, told police he slander’s bike and mind. This does not He had found the love boy in his youth and traffic accident statis - knew Holtslander was leaving the scene. change as they become of his life and was plan - sang in choir as an tics and arguing that all dead “because of the Dorothy Holtslander adults.” ning to propose to her, adult. Both he and drivers make errors. position and condition told the court she Holtslander shared his mother said. Shrock stated that While Liebscher has of the body,” Schiek wakes up every day some anecdotes from “You extinguished a Liebscher has always admitted to drinking in noted. and relives the morn - her son’s life, including life that had pur - very giving of his time the hours preceding the “He left Sean Holts - ing of Aug. 29 when his request to be bap - pose...meaning...value,” and has contributed collision, the question lander lying on the side police officers came to tized at age 5, the food she said, addressing considerably to his of whether he was over of Highway 17 alone. her door to inform her drive he helped organ - Liebscher. the .08 legal limit when Rather than call 911, he that her child was ize when he was 10 and Holtslander made it See Liebscher . . his truck smashed into hid his vehicle in gone. the family was living in clear that she believes page 12

a mask when they should be: local efforts to control the when it comes to voting resolution that doesn’t re - Mask Order “Nothing. Some people have spread of the coronavirus down the order — the Legis - quire the governor’s ap - From page 1 conditions or circumstances and did not favor a lature should be reconvening proval,” Nass said. that would make wearing a statewide mask mandate. to look at this.” Nass called Evers’ action a have to do with medical and cloth face covering difficult “Local governments have State Sen. Duey Stroebel political stunt to create a mental health conditions. It or dangerous. Just wear been responding appropri - (R-Cedarburg) was more partisan fight with the Legis - is not the place of law en - your mask and stay six feet ately and increasing precau - forceful. lature. He said the order was forcement to question citi - away,” the FAQ page states. tionary measures as “There is no new emer - not about improving public zens about their medical or needed,” Vos said. “But Wis - gency,” Stroebel said. “The health but all about the No - mental health thus we will Statewide reaction consin shouldn’t have a one- governor declared, and the vember election. The senator not be enforcing the mask While Democrats and lib - size-fits-all mandate. It Legislature did not interfere also said Evers and Depart - mandate.” erals praised the move, con - doesn’t build public support with, a full 60-day COVID ment of Health Services sec - The department said it servative lawmakers and when there are questions emergency from March retary-designee Andrea would continue to devote its groups around the state con - surrounding the metrics and through May. If a governor Palm were the last people in resources to protecting the demned the move as illegal, the constitutionality of this can declare multiple states Wisconsin who should have community and every fam - setting up the specter of a mandate.” of emergency for a single emergency powers. ily’s safety. new court challenge to A challenge to the order is event, that is an astonishing “Since March, the actions “It is the right of every cit - Evers’ authority. Some legis - likely coming, given the grant of power to one man. of Gov. Evers and secretary- izen to decide what they lators are also calling for a tenor of opposing state - … I call on my colleagues in designee Palm have solidi - need to do for their health, special legislative session to ments after the governor’s the Legislature to convene fied both of them as the two well being, and safety,” the block the order. announcement. The question as soon as possible to re - least trustful people that release stated. “If you wish Specifically, the order, is, what will be challenged scind this power grab.” have served in state govern - to wear a mask, do so. If which took effect Aug. 1, the and how would the chal - State Sen. ment in my entire time in the you have reasons why you day liberal justice Jill Karof - lenges be advanced? Many (R-Delafield) also advocated Legislature,” he said. “I can’t cannot wear a mask, then do sky began a 10-year term on conservatives believe the legislative action. legally or morally trust ei - not wear a mask. Please do the Supreme Court, replac - governor does not have the “Once again, Gov. Evers ther of these individuals with not contact the sheriff’s of - ing conservative Daniel power to mandate what peo - has overstepped his author - emergency powers.” fice emergency phone lines Kelly, requires all state resi - ple wear in private buildings ity in an unconstitutional at - One local government offi - about mask violations. We dents aged five and older to and on private property, tempt to limit people’s cial in Washington County need to keep these lines wear masks indoors, with though, given smoking bans freedoms by issuing this likened the new state of available for emergency private residences excepted, and conservative justice mask order,” Kapenga said. emergency declaration to a calls.” along with certain other ex - Brian Hagedorn’s vote this “It is a clear abuse of his Trojan horse, saying it rep - Over in Vilas County, ceptions, including for the spring to uphold the adminis - emergency declaration pow - resented far more than just a sheriff Joe Fath said his de - Legislature, Supreme Court, tration’s stay-at-home order, ers in an attempt to manu - face mask mandate if al - partment would likewise not and offices they control. that argument is considered facture fear and panic. This lowed to stand. be enforcing the order and Not doing so carries the an uphill one to make. power grab should disturb “Another public health also asked the public to re - risk of a fine of up to $200, But a separate issue is Wisconsinites as our out-of- emergency gives the gover - frain from using emergency at least in those areas where whether Evers can declare a touch governor continues to nor all the tools he needs to lines for calls about mask law enforcement is enforc - second public health emer - try and force submission to close schools, mandate vir - compliance. ing the order. gency for the same pan - the heavy hand of govern - tual learning, issue another “I talked with our corpora - “While our local health de - demic. The statewide mask ment.” safer-at-home order or tion counsel, public health partments have been doing a mandate is part of a de - Kapenga said Senate Re - worse,” county executive department, and the Eagle heck of a job responding to clared state of emergency publicans would be dis - Josh Schoemann said. “Gov. River police chief,” Fath told this pandemic in our commu - by Evers that will expire to - cussing options with its legal Evers says in his public The Times news director nities, the fact of the matter ward the end of September. team. health emergency that high Brian Jopek. “I don’t plan on is, this virus doesn’t care But a state of emergency “Once we gain a better un - risk levels of COVID-19 out - having any of our officers about any town, city, or is good for only 60 days un - derstanding, I will be push - breaks will prevent the full doing enforcement. We just county boundary, and we less extended by the Legisla - ing for immediate action to reopening of school. Either cannot become the mask po - need a statewide approach ture, which did not extend strike down the mandate,” the governor needs to com - lice in Vilas County.” to get Wisconsin back on the original order — it ex - he said. “It isn’t necessary; it mit to ensuring schools have On the department’s Face - track,” Evers said. “We’ve pired May 11 — and some isn’t warranted; and it isn’t the resources to fully reopen book page, Fath said the de - said all along that we’re conservatives say the gover - backed by the data.” in September or the Legisla - partment simply lacks the going to let science and pub - nor does not have the legal Kapenga said Evers had a ture needs to immediately resources needed to become lic health experts be our authority to issue a second pattern of taking unilateral act.” the mask police in Vilas guide in responding to this one for the same pandemic. action while fully knowing But Evers was hanging his County. pandemic, and we know that the actions violate the law. hat on support from medical “We will work with our masks and face coverings Legislative route “Perhaps if we printed the groups, public health offi - public health department will save lives.” Apart from that, the Legis - Wisconsin Constitution on a cials, and some in the busi - and encourage people to The governor said he also lature may block a state of face mask, the governor ness community. The comply with this order when knows emotions are high emergency through a joint would finally understand the Wisconsin Medical Society, possible,” he stated. “Please when it comes to wearing resolution at any time. Sev - concept of separation of Marshfield Clinic Health do not tie up emergency face coverings in public, but eral lawmakers signaled powers and actually attempt System, and the Wisconsin phone lines with calls about he said his job as governor that the Legislature may re - to work with the legislative Bankers Association all sup - mask compliance.” was to put people first and convene to do so. branch,” he said. ported the governor, for ex - Instead, Fath asked people to do what’s best for the peo - “I certainly think the way State Sen. Steve Nass (R- ample, with the bankers to follow the governor’s rec - ple of the state, and the that the governor has writ - Whitewater) also urged an association saying it pro - ommendation in his Fre - mask order was what he be - ten this order may have immediate session to end the vided certainty and a uni - quently Asked Questions lieved was best. opened him up to legal chal - order. “The Legislature is form set of parameters for page about the order, which But conservatives railed lenges,” Senate majority empowered to end any financial institutions that had offers the following advice against the decision. Assem - leader Scott Fitzgerald (R- emergency declaration is - been operating in multiple about what to do when peo - bly speaker (R- Juneau) said. “I’m also gaug - sued by a governor through jurisdictions under differing ple see someone not wearing Rochester) said he favored ing the interest of my caucus the simple passage of a joint rules.

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While Schiek was cial media frenzy over Liebscher bound by a plea agree - the case caused him ex - From page 11 ment to ask for a sen - treme stress. tence no longer than When it was his turn community. He helped what was recom - to address the defen - shape the lives of many mended by the pre-sen - dant and those gath - kids as a youth soccer tence investigator, ered in the gallery, and baseball coach, Cirilli argued that the O’Melia said he has Shrock noted. PSI recommendation — been thinking about In his making his three years incarcera - this case since the day sentencing argument, tion and five years ex - it was assigned to him Cirilli stressed that tended supervision — and understood from Liebscher does not was too long. the outset that it would have a history of anti- He asked for 18 be a very difficult sen - social or undesirable months incarceration tencing case. He then behavior and has lived to be followed by 18 reviewed the factors all the first 54 years of life months extended su - judges must consider in in a law-abiding and pervision. determining sentence productive manner. He Given his chance to and noted that Lieb - argued Liebscher did speak, Liebscher apolo - scher has a number of not leave the scene that gized for his actions and factors in his favor in - night because he was told Holtslander that he cluding a lack of crimi - JAMIE TAYLOR /RIVER NEWS drunk but because “he did not intend to hurt nal history. He also Oneida County Circuit Court Judge Patrick O’Melia looks directly at Jeffrey Liebscher while pronouncing sentence Thursday, July 30, 2020. saw his life flash before her son. After noting took time to explain to his eyes.” that there was no life Holtslander that it “He lost his senses left in Sean’s body, Lieb - would be inappropriate guish between a flash - lice he could have at - Liebscher was given and that’s why we’re scher said “terror and for him to follow her light and a motorcycle tempted to flee again. credit for 69 days al - here today,” he argued. shock overtook me.” recommendation and light is, in his estima - “It’s supposed to be a ready served and Cirilli called Lieb - His last “somewhat sentence Liebscher to tion, evidence of im - good thing that you O’Melia stated he will scher’s decision to clear thought” was of 23 years in prison, one pairment. didn’t take off into the be eligible for the sub - jump bail by drinking his own children, he year for each year her He went on to note woods?” the judge stance abuse program alcohol over Memorial added. He stressed that son lived. that he is concerned questioned. while in prison. Day weekend a “mis - he is ashamed that he The sentence, the that Liebscher contin - He ended his re - On July 17, Cirilli filed step” brought on by ex - left the scene that night judge explained, “is not ues to minimize his re - marks by noting how a motion requesting treme stress due to and knows it was the a reflection on the life sponsibility. Remorse fortunate it was that Liebscher be given a 48- intense social media ac - wrong thing to do, but Sean lived, it’s a reflec - that someone has been another citizen came hour furlough prior to tivity related to the added that “it wouldn’t tion on the life Lieb - killed is different that along, found Holtslan - sentencing to get his af - case. (Liebscher was have changed the out - scher has led and his accepting responsibility der’s “uncovered” body fairs in order. The mo - discovered on Memo - come” if he had stayed actions that night.” for causing a death, he and took appropriate tion was not addressed rial Day sitting outside and called 911. “I think alcohol had stressed, adding that action. If that man had during Thursday’s hear - a residence in Sugar He also told the court more to do with this the public should know not come along, and if ing and court records Camp drinking hard ice he is very upset with than you’re owning up that if they are ever in it had been a little later indicate the court did tea after someone himself over the bail to,” O’Melia continued, a similar situation “you in the evening and a lit - not rule on it. called sheriff Grady jumping incident. addressing Liebscher stay and do your duty.” tle darker, Liebscher Heather Schaefer Hartman to report that “I cracked under directly. In addressing the bail might have gotten may be reached at he was drinking in vio - stress and broke bond,” Later, the judge said jumping, O’Melia noted away with what he did, heather@rivernewson - lation of his bond). he said, noting the so - an inability to distin - that Liebscher told po - the judge said. line.com.

white supremacists, and tutional they consid - to a common rope in liberties; in June, the dignity, and justice for Guns criminals. Criminals ered the government’s dangerous waters — in same tethered response all. From page 8 have no color. It doesn’t actions to be. March and April, a rise arose against perceived Richard Moore is matter if you are a To be sure, armed in gun sales accompa - systemic and violent the author of the Left today. black man, white man, protests are a relatively nied the appearance of racism. forthcoming “Sto - On the other hand, it Asian or Hispanic.” new and potentially armed protests against That doesn’t suggest ryfinding: From the is also true many The march wasn’t an dangerous feature on perceived unconstitu - racial polarization so Journey to the Story” protests are peaceful exercise in lawlessness the American protest tional actions by the much as it does a com - and can be reached at and legitimate, and that or revolutionary insur - landscape, and one can government to deprive mon movement for richardmoorebooks.co some involve people rection; it was an ex - argue how appropriate citizens of basic civil personal freedom and m. peacefully and legally pression of or wise they are. But and constitutionally constitutional affirma - there’s a big distinction carrying firearms. In tion, a plea for family between legal expres - those cases, armed and community secu - sions of a constitutional protest has become a rity. right to protest for a legitimate expression Likewise, when just cause against ex - of gun ownership in armed protesters en - treme injustice and ex - the cause of defending tered the state capitol tremist attempts to one’s self, one’s family, in Michigan this spring bring down the system and one’s community to protest that state’s by provoking violence. from constitutional vio - lockdown, they carried In this context the lations that upset a arms as a legitimate ex - rise in armed protests sense of personal and pression of just how and the rise in gun social security. extreme and unconsti - ownership are tethered It is a significant act to many, as significant as gun ownership itself. As such, they are likely an outgrowth of a trend toward increasing gun ownership. Protesters against police brutality cannot be considered extreme just because they legally carry firearms when one con - siders that the police themselves are armed. In June, for example, in Oklahoma, a pro-Sec - ond Amendment walk organized by black gun owners and peacefully conducted featured many people openly and legally carrying their firearms. “As an African American, it’s impor - tant to send a message to the governor and president that we aren’t going to allow people to come into our commu - nities and brutalize us,” organizer David Chat - man told The Oklaho - man. “That goes for corrupt police officers,

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