Local news briefs News-Chronicle Green Bay Panelists picked for 'By The People' Five panelists have been selected for the "By the People" issues discussion Jan. 24. The five will discuss issues with 150 selected Brown County residents during one part of the program. They are U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay; Chris Lofgren, president and CEO of Schneider National; David Newby, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO; Ismail Shariff, professor of urban and regional studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Gratzia Villarroel, associate professor of political science at St. Norbert College. Today last day of Salvation Army campaign The Salvation Army will fall short of its 2003 goal of $871,000. As of Tuesday, the group had raised $845,451. It counts donations through today as part of its Christmas campaign. It is still accepting donations at its oversized kettle at Bay Park Square in Ashwaubenon through the weekend and by mail at 626 Union Court, Green Bay WI 54303. No paperThursday The printed version of The Green Bay News-Chronicle will not be published Thursday to allow its employees to spend New Year's Day with their families. We'll be back on Friday morning for normal business hours. Fans get free hot chocolate Sunday Members of Pilgrim Lutheran Church and School will give away free hot chocolate Sunday at 11 a.m. at the corner of Lombardi Avenue and Ridge Road as part of the group's "Planned Act of Christian Kindness" campaign before Sunday's NFL playoff game at Lambeau Field. Weber plans City Council run Tom Weber has announced plans to run for the 12th District spot on the Green Bay City Council. Weber, who has a business and banking background, describes himself as a "fiscal conservative" who wants to create jobs through economic development. The seat is being vacated by Kathy Johnson, who plans to leave the council to concentrate on her County Board duties. Libertarian presidential candidates to debate here The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin will host a presidential primary debate between Michael Badnarik and Gary Nolan at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at the KI Convention Center, 333 Main St.. Badnarik, a former systems administrator from Texas, and Nolan, a syndicated talk show host from Virginia, are two of seven candidates listed on the national party's Web site as actively seeking the nomination. The others are Jeffrey Diket, James Gray, Dave Hollis, Carla Howell and L. Neil Smith. The Libertarian Party is allowed to participate in the Feb. 17 Wisconsin presidential primary because Ed Thompson had 10.5 percent of the vote in the 2002 governor's race, earning the Libertarians major party status and a seat on the state Presidential Primary Commission. Thompson, the brother of former Gov. Tommy Thompson, is now the party's state chairman. For more information on the debates call the Northeast Wisconsin Libertarian Party's Roy Leyendecker, 445-0450. Oconto County Man dies after search following robbery A search for a van involved in an Oconto County robbery ended with the discovery of a man inside who had shot himself. The man, Gerald Tappa, later died. The Oconto County Sheriff's Department said it found the van in the town of Stiles with Tappa inside suffering for a gunshot would they said was self-inflicted. The incident is being investigated but no other searches are being done in connection with the robbery, the department said. An elderly man injured in the robbery was improving, officers said.