Drivers who regularly travel State Highway 23 say the intersection at Sheboygan County Road TT can be stressful, especially with heavy truck traffic and vehicles moving at highway speeds.

Sara Kregel, a Howards Grove resident who drives through the intersection daily, said she frequently sees close calls.

Gives me anxiety going on 23 in general, said Kregel. Theres been a lot of close calls too, that Ive seen, with all the semi traffic.

Louicia Fanslau, a Plymouth resident who also travels through the intersection every day, worries about speeding vehicles and semi-trucks navigating turns that can temporarily block traffic lanes.

Because its so fast, this is what Im saying, nobody has time to think. Youre going too fast, said Fanslau. "From motorcycles, to your 18-wheels, to your oversized-vehicles, everything just seems not to follow the rules.

The intersection connects State Highway 23 and County Road TT, about a mile north of a business park and along a major route between Sheboygan and Plymouth.

State data shows 43 crashes were reported at the intersection between 2014 and 2024, with more than 10 people killed or injured.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to build a restricted crossing U-turn, commonly known as a J-turn, at the intersection to address safety concerns.

Under the planned J-turn design, drivers who want to cross Highway 23 will first turn right onto the highway, make a U-turn at a designated location and then turn right onto County Road TT. The design restricts direct crossing across the highway.

WisDOT previously considered an overpass for the intersection. However, the department says it is prioritizing safety improvements that can move forward sooner.

It would be irresponsible for us to not make those safety improvements at the intersection that were able to make today, said Scott Ebel, project development supervisor for WisDOTs Northeast Region.

Construction of the planned intersection improvements is expected next year.

Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.

Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

Dense fog may have played a role in a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck Tuesday morning in Sheboygan County, according to the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department.

The crash happened around 7:55 a.m. on Oct. 20 at the intersection of State Highway 32 and County Road V in the Town of Lima.

According to the sheriff's department, an SUV traveling northbound on Highway 32 struck the trailer of a semi-truck heading westbound through the intersection on County Road V.

No injuries were reported, and the crash forced the intersection to close for approximately two hours. The intersection reopened by 10:24 a.m., but the crash remains under investigation.

A viewer shared video with TMJ4 News showing the aftermath of the crash. The video shows the SUV near the semi-truck as people direct approaching drivers away from the crash scene.

Thick fog blanketed much of Sheboygan County Tuesday morning, reducing visibility to less than a mile in some areas. The fog lingered in parts of the county into the afternoon.

John Peterson, a Sheboygan Falls resident, said the fog was so thick Tuesday morning that he initially thought it was smoke from a fire.

"At first, we thought it was some kind of fire. It was so thick, I couldnt even see the end of my block. But yeah, then its just residual fog," said Peterson.

Peterson also expressed concerns about safety at intersections along State Highway 23, where he said limited visibility can force drivers to make sudden decisions.

"There's definitely a problem where the low visibility and the short runway to stop and start cause a lot of abrupt last-minute choices that you need to make, especially when thats a major intersection for semi-trucks," said Peterson.

Although the fog eventually cleared across much of Sheboygan County, some areas continued to experience reduced visibility into Tuesday afternoon.

Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.

Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

Entrepreneurs from across Wisconsin gathered in Sheboygan to pitch their business ideas at the Startup World Cup regional competition, including two founders developing solutions to health-related challenges.

Dr. Grace Hameister, founder of Food FixR from Elkhart Lake, created an app designed to help people better understand the potential health risks of ingredients in their food. Jesse Barry, founder of Coldspell Cooling from Madison, developed a cooling garment intended to help protect workers from heat-related illnesses.

Hameister said her 27 years as a doctor helped her recognize that many people do not fully understand how food can affect their health.

The science is hard, and when youre bombarded with this information, you dont know where to start, said Hameister.

Her app, Food Fixr, allows users to scan ingredients on food labels to learn more about potential health risks. The app catalogs edible ingredients recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and classifies them based on their potential risks.

Depending on how many of those things are on the label, thats what will mathematically give you the yay safe, or the middle, or the danger, said Hameister.

Another competitor, Barry, developed a cooling garment after witnessing the consequences of heat-related illnesses while working as a nurse at UW-Madison Hospital.

Theres lots of studies that say that injury rates and accidents go up when the temperature go up, said Barry.

His product, called the Coldspell Cooling Garment, is designed to cover the neck, upper body and a significant portion of the wearers body surface. Users fill the garment with water before putting it on. Barry hopes the garment can help protect outdoor workers, including those in construction and paving, as well as indoor workers without access to air conditioning.

Food Fixr and Coldspell Cooling were among eight startups competing in the Sheboygan regional event. The winning team will advance to the national Startup World Cup event in San Francisco, where competitors will have the opportunity to vie for up to $1 million in investment funding.

Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.

Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

The Plymouth Panthers wrapped up their regular season with a 28-21 victory over the Grafton Black Hawks on Friday night, finishing with a 7-2 record as they prepare for the playoffs.

But for Plymouth's 16 seniors and their families, the regular-season finale was about more than just football. It was also a night to celebrate years of memories, friendships and family traditions.

Among those seniors was quarterback Augie Eigenberger, who has played football since he was six years old.

Im excited. I mean, no matter what, were gonna go out there and give our all, no matter what. And, were gonna have some fun, said Augie said before the game.

Augie has been the Panthers' quarterback for the last four years, following in the footsteps of his father, Jason Eigenberger, who also played football for Plymouth. For Jason, watching his son take the field for his final regular-season game brought mixed emotions.

A lot of excitement, a little sadness, growing up watching them play football, said Jason.

But football isn't the only thing the father and son have in common. They also share the same coach Gale Grahn, Plymouth's offensive coordinator, who has been with the football program since 1988. Grahn has coached generations of Plymouth players, including both Jason and Augie.

Thats a special neat thing, you know, see, see them come to the games then and, you know, brings back the memories of when we coached them, said Grahn.

For Grahn, coaching isn't just about winning games. He said he hopes his players take away lessons that will stay with them long after they leave the football field.

Were always trying to teach them life lessons as much as we are for football, said Grahn. Learning to work together as a group, right, having common goals, you know, those kind of things.

Those lessons were on display Friday night as the Panthers defeated Grafton 28-21 to close out their regular season.

While the victory gave Plymouth momentum heading into the playoffs, Augie said the relationships he has built with his teammates mean more than any win.

I mean these guys are my brothers and I wouldnt want to be with anybody else playing football, thats for sure, said Augie.

With a 7-2 regular-season record, the Panthers are now setting their sights on a deep playoff run, hoping to extend the season.

Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.

Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

Cody Allen Freeman, 33, is facing 20 charges related to animal mistreatment after police found feces and urine throughout his Plymouth apartment and rescued five cats on Sunday.

According to Plymouth police, officers responded to an apartment building on Appleton Street, where conditions inside one of the units required them to wear specialized protective equipment.

Carla Andrade, who lives in the apartment directly above Freeman's unit, said she began noticing a strange odor coming from downstairs.

"The bad smell ... was noticeable that day. Well, it was definitely cat-related, Andrade said.

She said the smell became so strong that she grew concerned about her grandson, who lives with her.

"We sent a message to the apartment owner because there was an offensive odor reaching all the way up here. It smelled really bad," Andrade said.

Andrade said she had noticed cat food and litter around the building but had no idea five cats were living in the unit below hers. She recalled telling her daughter that the odor smelled like a dead cat.

She hopes the incident serves as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with pet ownership.

"I think that if you have animals, its to take care of them. And if you cant take care of them, well, then dont have them," Andrade said.

According to the Wisconsin Court records, Freeman has pleaded not guilty and was evicted from his apartment on Monday.

The court also ordered Freeman not to own or care for animals. Freeman is scheduled to return to the Sheboygan County Courthouse for his pre-trial conference on Nov. 16.

Want to discuss this story and keep up with whats happening in Sheboygan County? Join our new Facebook group to share stories, ask questions, and connect with neighbors.

Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip