Men of all ages are invited for free vocal lessons for six straight Mondays beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 6705 Northway, Greendale.
The lessons are offered by Midwest Vocal Express, an all-male a cappella chorus.
For more information, call Tom Weber at 888-240-4426 or www.MVE.org.
The battle lines were uncharacteristically drawn last night on the Muskego Common Council, which narrowly passed a 2012 city budget and a $14.5 million capital borrowing plan.
Approvals came on the same 4-3 vote that held unchanged through six failed attempted amendments to the budget, the borrowing and the capital budget.
Among other things, the voting block of three - Kert Harenda, Dan Soltysiak and Neil Borgman - didn't think controls will be strong enough on the $14.5 million borrowing package. They also didn't want the $2.5 million Pioneer Drive reconstruction and beautification next year, and preferred a pay freeze for city workers instead of the 2 percent raises budgeted.
The three had brought up most of their concerns during the prior weeks of budget discussions, but the four aldermen in the majority - Noah Fiedler, Neome Schaumberg, Keith Werner and Tracy Snead - still weren't buying their viewpoints this week.
The 2012 budget calls for no property tax increase. The operating budget will be $14 million, up 1.7 percent from this year's nearly $13.8 million budget. The levy will remain at $11,935,917 with the estimated tax rate dipping slightly to $4.41 per $1,000 of assessed value from $4.43 per $1,000.
In the aftermath of last night's Elmbrook School Board decision to close Hillside Elementary next June, the district is inviting public input to help choose between three possible redistricting plans.
Community Engagement on Redistricting sessions will be held at 6 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Wisconsin Hills Middle School, 18700 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Each scenario will detail population tracts being reassigned to the remaining elementary schools, with varying estimated capacity outcomes for Brookfield Elementary, Burleigh, Dixon, Swanson and Tonawanda.
Superintendent Matt Gibson said public input would be an important part of the process as the district makes the transition from six to five elementary schools.
Merrick Fruchtman knew he had a challenge ahead of him when he decided to redevelop the blighted building at 65th Street and North Avenue as the new location for his business, Home Solutions USA.
"The whole building had been damaged by fire, water and smoke," he said.
The roof was falling in, the front half of the building had to be gutted and rebuilt, and after 15 years of vacancy a lot of maintenance issues became evident.
"I knew what the community would want is a new structure, an entire new look," Fruchtman said. "I tried to give that to them."
The extensive problems with the building itself caused some of the delays for the project that first came before the city more than 15 months ago for financial assistance. A large part of the hold up was an investigation into the land under the building.» Read Full Article
A ransom note sent via text message did not work out as planned for three Milwaukee men.
The men, one 26 and two 19, were arrested Oct. 16 for receiving a cell phone stolen the day before at iPic, 5750 N. Bayshore Drive.
According to the Glendale police report:
The owner reported the theft after receiving text messages demanding a "ransom" of $550 to get his phone back.
Police had the owner set up a meeting with the men and take along an undercover officer.» Read Full Article
The Elmbrook School Board voted, 6-1, tonight to close Hillside Elementary School after this school year ends.
Board member Bob Ziegler provided the lone dissenting vote, saying the board should see a redistricting plan before making the decision.
A plan for redistricting Elmbrook's remaining elementary schools is expected to be unveiled in November.
The decision was greeted with jeers from the crowd of about 150 people who came to witness the vote, most of whom oppose the closing.
Glendale - The city and police union have agreed to a three-year contract that includes 2 percent wage increases in 2011 and 2013 with a wage freeze in 2012.
Union members will pay 10 percent of their health care premiums in 2012 and 2013. They currently pay 8.5 percent.
Although state law exempted public safety employees from mandated pension contributions, beginning in 2012 they agree to pay 2 percent to the Wisconsin Retirement System toward their pensions. In 2013 they will pay 4 percent.
City Administrator Richard Maslowski said there will be no layoffs, furloughs or reductions in service in the 2012 city budget as a result of the agreement.
A 63-year-old man was arrested for his fifth offense of drunken driving Oct. 19, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
An officer clocked the Wauwatosa man driving 40 mph in a 25-mph zone on Greenfield Avenue, east of Sunnyslope Road, just after 10 p.m. Oct. 19, the report states.
The man then cut off the officer's squad car and proceeded to turn left from a through-lane before he was stopped on Elm Grove Road, near Cardinal Crest Drive.
A blood sample was collected to determine the man's blood-alcohol content.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry were taken from a home on Bradford Lane on Oct. 21, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also in the report:
A man reported that his wife returned to their home in the 21000 block of Bradford Lane to discover that it had been broken into between 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Oct. 21.
It appears the perpetrator gained entry through an unlocked back door and made away with $200,000 in men's and women's jewelry and about $500 in cash.
The home is outfitted with a burglary alarm, but it was not activated at the time of the burglary.» Read Full Article
While on patrol at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 23, a Brown Deer Officer heard an audible alarm sounding at a nearby business. Officers quickly determined that a burglary had just occurred at Poco Loco, 4134 West River Lane.
Entry was gained by smashing a rock though one of the business windows.
While investigating and processing the scene further, officers found someone outside Prime Time, 8777 North Deerwood Drive. He was arrested for the burglary. The suspect is a 20-year-old Milwaukee man. Charges are pending at this time.
Brown Deer officers have arrested three suspects after an armed robbery in Algonquin Park, 7850 N. 51st St., at 9:30 p.m. Oct. 21.
The victims included three to five people from Brown Deer and West Bend ranging in age from 15 to 18 years old.
They were robbed by two black males, one armed with an unknown type of handgun. Cash and other personal items were taken in the robbery. The victims were not injured during this incident.
Police said the victims left the park before calling police. Algonquin Park is a Milwaukee County Park.
Based on information received during the initial interviews of the victims, three arrests have been made. Charges are pending on one of the suspects. This investigation is continuing at this time.
A homemade concoction purported to cause "super powers" in the drinker turned out to be a toxic substance mixed together by a student at Glen Hills Middle School and given to another, according to a Glendale police report.
A 9-year-old boy became sick Oct. 14 after drinking a liquid given to him by two students at Glen Hills, 2600 W. Mill Road, earlier that day, his mother told police.
One of the boys later admitted to authorities that he had mixed Dr. Pepper, rubbing alcohol, Tabasco sauce, Clorox wipes and soap, and then taken it to school and offered it to another student, saying it would give him "super powers," the report states.
Paramedics responded to the school and checked the boy out, advising that he should be monitored in case further problems developed.
Police confiscated the liquid. The school kept a small sample, but officials there stated they had no plans to have it analyzed, the report said.» Read Full Article
The loss of more than 190 pieces of jewelry, a collective value of nearly $189,000, was discovered at Zales, 5720 N. Bayshore Drive, during a store inventory, according to a Glendale police report.
Management reported the "internal theft of jewelry" from the store Aug. 30, saying the thefts must have occurred over the past 10 or 11 months. The case is under investigation, the report states.
The Franklin Historical Society is holding its fourth annual Oktoberfest fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Root River Center, 7220 W. Rawson Ave.
The event includes a raffle, silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and music. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.
For information, call Ali Hoffman at (414) 745-5634.
Greenfield and its firefighters reached agreement Tuesday on a contract that averted cuts in benefits for other employees and possible service reductions.
In the two-year contract, the firefighters agreed to no raises next year. They also agree to pay 5.9 percent toward pensions and 12.6 percent of health insurance premiums as all other employees are, even though the firefighters wouldn't have to make those contributions, under state law.
Police have already agreed to the pension and health insurance premium contributions, but other contract elements are still pending. city officials are optimistic that the rest of a police contract will be hammered out in the next few days.
The Bay Breeze Condominium owners will not receive the $5,000 grant owners requested from Muskego to help with a $23,619 project that they said would beautify not only the condominium entrance on Janesville Road, but the roadway itself.
The problem is that the Community Development Authority doesn't consider Bay Breeze a commercial development so, it doesn't qualify for a commercial grant.
And while the city tried to establish a residential grant program along Janesville for property owners who will see landscaping cut down as the road is widened, the program never got Common Council approval.
The Bay Breeze Condominium Association plans to plant 39 trees and add landscaping to the entrance.
A proposed 2012 Greenfield budget that calls for a 2.15 percent property tax hike, mainly to finance an aggressive road program, received preliminary Greenfield Common Council Committee of the Whole approval Tuesday .
The package will be the subject of a public hearing Nov. 15.
With a property tax rate of $7.21 per $1,000 of assessed value, 17 cents higher than 2011, the proposed budget would cost about $34 more than this year for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 both years.
Although the new state law keeps the levy at a zero increase unless there is growth, cities can raise their levies to cover debt. That's where the proposed nearly $11 million borrowing for an aggressive road program comes in, an idea that city officials are just starting to consider.
Because interest rates are so low and contractors are willing to give buyers a break just to keep crews working, the proposal has been made to lump road spending that is scheduled to be done over the next several years and do it all in two years. Then nothing would be done until 2015, when more would be borrowed for those future projects.
If a tornado was spotted near Wauwatosa and the crowds needed to be evacuated quickly from Hart Park, where would attendees go for safety?
The Muellner Building likely won't provide enough space to handle a full stadium of spectators during an athletic event or a city celebration.
"I'd love to just open the Tosa Room (the space used for curling in the winter and rented for weddings with up to 450 guests the rest of the year) and tell people to come inside, but I don't think they'd all fit," said Mary Clare Shuller, parks department secretary.
Fire officials met with the city's Parks and Forestry Board on Tuesday to talk about creating a critical incident management plan. A binder containing such a plan is rumored to exist, but if so, it has disappeared, Fire Chief Rob Ugaste said.
Upping the ante citywide» Read Full Article
Six sculptures that have adorned the Harwood pedestrian bridge will move to Hart Park by spring.
More than 10 years ago, the Village Business Improvement District partnered with Gary Zimmerman, a principal of Zimmerman Design Group, to commission artist Richard Taylor to design public art. The project cost about $50,000 and was donated to the city.
When Café Hollander took over the building Zimmerman had occupied, it looked to install a fountain and outdoor seating. A couple of the sculptures had to be removed to make space for the new elements. Those pieces have since been sitting in Public Works storage, while other pieces remained on the bridge.
City and BID officials have been working with the artist and donors to find a new spot within the city to display the sculptures. As the playground and site utilities project moved forward near the Rotary Park Pavilion, Mayor Jill Didier saw a place to mix fine art, music and recreation in one area.
"The sculpture was such a special donation, so I think it will be a wonderful addition to an area that is becoming such a gathering place for this community," Didier said.» Read Full Article
Five food businesses will receive financial assistance to startup or expand in Wauwatosa. However, a city leader has questioned whether one of the grant recipients may be too successful to warrant help.
The Wauwatosa Economic Development Corp. met last week to divvy up nearly $262,000 in 2011 Community Development Block Grant funds to businesses that promise to create jobs. Highlands Café, Le Reve Patisserie, Rocket Baby Bakery, Alterra Coffee Roasters and the owners of Cranky Al's will each get 45 percent of the dollars they requested.
"It's great that all this is happening in Tosa but there's a $325,000 gap," Paulette Enders, city economic development director said.
Mayor Jill Didier, a WEDC member, said she could not deem one business more worthy than the other. Instead, they will each get a share of the pot.
"I wouldn't want to see any one project not be funded," she said. "You don't have to pay this back so we will give you what we can proportionately."» Read Full Article
A recommendation that Greenfield ban concealed weapons in city-owned buildings is now on its way to the Common Council.
The Legislative Committee on Monday recommended the ban unanimously, leading to a council vote on Nov. 1, the day a new state law allowing people with permits to carry concealed weapons goes into effect.
As a result of the impending law, many communities are passing bans on weapons in municipal buildings.
If the Common Council also approves a ban, signs would be posted at entrances, though there will be no metal detectors. If people are caught with weapons, they will be fined. It was not clear last night how much that fine would be.
Greenfield may add to a its list of nuisances trailers or other vehicles that are used for storage and parked out in the open.
The city's Greenfield Legislative Committee on Monday recommended approval of an amended list. If the Common Council also approves the addition Nov. 1, the city will be able to force a cleanup at homes where the trailers have become eyesores.
Things are often piled around and on top of the trailers or inoperable cars and weeds grow up around them, said Jeff Cavett, fire marshal and code enforcer for the city. But without the addition to the ordinance, the city can't do anything about them.
A car or any other vehicle that's full of stuff wouldn't necessarily be deemed a nuisance. It also would have to have two other problems - such as being inoperable, partially dismantled, improperly licensed or parked in an unapproved surface.
A major road project anticipated to start in the Village next year has been delayed until 2016.
State Street was expected undergo reconstruction, a project that created accessibility concerns for businesses in the Village Business Improvement District. Still after years of construction in the area, BID members wanted the work to just get done.
That was until the state Department of Transportation's plans for Zoo Interchange reconstruction overlapped with the city's project. Two major routes to the Village from the west will see road work aimed at making local streets ready to handle more traffic during the interchange project.
"Having Glenview and Watertown Plank Road closed at same time (as State Street) would be detrimental to our businesses," BID Director Kathy Ehley said.
Keeping State Street open would allow access to the Village from further east, she said.» Read Full Article
If it weren't for Hart Park Senior Center, many older adults would find themselves isolated and see a decline in their mental and physical health.
"It gives people a place to belong," said Michael Price, president of the center's advisory board, getting choked up. "People leave lunch on Friday and say they won't talk to anyone until Monday. It's sad, but it's true."
Between hot lunches and program attendance, the senior center tracked 27,000 visits last year. To continue providing the same level of programs and service, the senior center is seeking $117,500 in Community Development Block Grant funds.
For every $1,000 grant dollars reduced, the center loses 100 visits due to cuts in programming, center Director Mary Noel Johnson said.
Few people in the community could dispute the benefits the center has for the senior population. Unfortunately, the same could be said about the more than a dozen local food pantries, senior-living facilities and service organizations and agencies seeking CDBG money for 2012.» Read Full Article
A 15-year-old girl was mailed a citation for disorderly conduct after she hit a male student in the face after he called her names, causing "a major disruption" in class.
According to the Glendale police report:
The two students were in class at Nicolet High School, 6701 N. Jean Nicolet Road, on Oct. 12. A teacher reportedly told the girl to put on a jacket because of her wearing revealing clothing. When the girl refused, the boy started calling her names and she threatened to stab him. They began to struggle and she hit him and the fight caused "a major disruption" in the class. The girl said the boy "disrespected her" and that's why the fight started.
A man, his wife and son were cited for obstruction for lying to police about an accident the boy had that caused a tree to hit a neighboring house.
According to the Glendale police report:
The 15-year-old boy lost control of the car while pulling out of his driveway and drove onto a neighbor's yard knocking over two trees, one of them hitting the house, in the 1800 block of West Wayside Drive about 7 p.m. Oct. 9.
The woman, 55, said she was in the car with the boy who had a learner's permit.
The boy and his father, 53, told the same story. However, the boy did not have a permit and the woman was not in the car.» Read Full Article
Matt Schuenke, assistant village manager in Whitefish Bay, announced Tuesday he is resigning from the position, effective Oct. 31.
Schuenke has accepted the position of village administrator/clerk-treasurer in the village of Cross Plains, near Madison.
"Whitefish Bay is a great community in which to work, and I am very appreciative of the opportunities I have had to work with the residents, Village Board and staff," Schuenke wrote in his resignation letter. "It is truly a remarkable place with the accomplishments we have been able to achieve together."
Greenfield officials are thinking about strongly encouraging all gas stations in the city to go to prepay for gas in addition to paying at the pump in hopes of drastically reducing gas driveoffs.
Interim Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt told the Greenfield Legislative Committee last night that Green Bay had virtually eliminated gas driveoffs by eliminating investigations at stations that do not have prepay. Instead, the owners must write a report, get the registration information from the state Department of Motor Vehicles based on eye witnesses or surveillance videos, and then give the information to police who take it from there, Wentlandt said.
The vast majority of Green Bay gas stations have gone to prepay, he said.
He met with Greenfield gas station owners and all were in favor of going prepay except one, Wentlandt said. That one has a competitor nearby in New Berlin and he is afraid of losing business to the New Berlin station because it would not have prepay.
The Greenfield Legislative Committee last night recommended sending a resolution of support to State Rep. Peggy Krusick, who is trying to get a state ban on liquors with alcohol above 160 proof, or 80 percent alcohol.
The Greenfield Common Council is expected to approve the resolution of support Nov. 1.
The council had originally wanted to consider a citywide ban after the death of Jeff Wielichowski, a young Greenfield man who drowned after consuming a punch made with the 190-proof Everclear grain alcohol. But officials found the city doesn't have the power to enact such a ban.
The Wielichowski family lives in Krusick's district. Jeff's mother Luanne is spearheading the drive to clear the shelves of such strong liquors.
In the resolution, the Legislative Committee noted that Jeff Wielichowski is not the only one to die after drinking high-proof liquors and calls such high-proof liquors a threat to public health, safety and welfare.» Read Full Article
A naked and crying toddler wandered into a hotel lobby after his mother left to buy cigarettes and snacks Wednesday night.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
The 19-year-old mother, her boyfriend and a friend checked in with the child at the Days Inn, 11811 W. Bluemound Road.
A while later, the adults left, a hotel employee told officers.
Within 20 minutes of his mother leaving, the 2-year-old boy came into the lobby. Seeing he was naked, employees found towels to wrap him in.» Read Full Article
Kristopher Rowe will run for the 10th Assembly District seat in 2012. Rowe, who was a leader of the effort to recall state Sen. Alberta Darling last summer, announced his intentions at a Village Board meeting last night. Rowe is a respiratory therapist.
Shorewood is part of the 22nd Assembly District but will become part of the 10th Assembly District in January when the redistricting goes into effect. The 10th Assembly seat is now held by Elizabeth Coggs.
City of Brookfield police believe two armed robberies reported a week apart may be connected.
Two men wearing dark clothes and black bandannas over their faces used a semi-automatic handgun to rob the Westbrook Beverage Center, 13400 W. Greenfield Ave., at 8:58 p.m. Oct. 16, according to police reports.
Police Capt. Jim Adlam said they then ran off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Officers from numerous agencies assisted city of Brookfield officers secure a perimeter, but the robbers were not found.
Adlam said investigators believe the Oct. 16 armed robbery may be related to the robbery of Subway, 3960 N. Brookfield Road, before 6:30 a.m. Oct. 10.» Read Full Article
A 16-year-old Brookfield boy could face burglary and theft charges for stealing a car, mini bike and all-terrain vehicle from a home in the 13000 block of Hampton Road, according to city of Brookfield police reports.
Also from the reports:
The vehicles, with a combined value of $3,400, were reported stolen at 5:41 a.m. Oct. 12.
The car was found in the backyard of a home in the 3400 block of Fiebrantz Drive just after 11:30 a.m. Oct. 12.
A man provided a description of the person who left the car, and it matched a teen who attends Brookfield East High School.» Read Full Article
A Brookfield man accidentally fired a shotgun into a neighboring apartment unit while attempting to unload it, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also from the report:
The man called the police to report that he had misfired a round of buckshot into the wall of an apartment in the 18000 block of Lake Drive just before 10 a.m. Oct. 14, because he was unsure if anybody next door had been injured.
Paramedics were put on standby while officers called a maintenance man to unlock the apartment.
The apartment was found to be empty and nobody was injured.» Read Full Article
A man was walking at 61st and Wright streets Tuesday night when a man carrying a gun started chasing him.
According to a Wauwatosa Police Department report:
The victim had been walking home from a friend's house at 52nd and Center streets in Milwaukee at 10:34 p.m. As he talked on his cell phone, he realized he was being followed.
One man followed on his side of the sidewalk, while two more men walked on the opposite side of the street keeping their eyes on him. He saw one of the men across the street pull a mask over his face and a hood over his head before he started jogging over.
As the masked man got closer, his hand could be seen in his front sweatshirt pocket. The victim, fearing that the man had a gun and was going to rob or harm him, took off running back to his friend's house.» Read Full Article
Alderwoman Linda Nikcevich won't seek re-election to the Wauwatosa Common Council. She filed non-candidacy papers with the city's clerk's office today.
Nikcevich will finish out her term, which ends in April. As for future plans, she declined in an interview to say whether she planned to run for another office within the city or another level of government.
"I will continue to serve this community long after my term is completed," she wrote in a letter announcing her plans to end her time on the council at the end of her first, four-year term. This is my community where I live, am raising my family and will continue to volunteer and lead in other ways.
Aldermen received election paperwork along with their council meeting packets about a week ago, Nikcevich said. She wanted to make her decision promptly "to give others a change to consider running for office," she said.
Candidate packets for the April 2012 election - the mayor and one aldermanic seat from each of the city's eight districts will be on the ballot - are now available at the clerk's office and on the city website.» Read Full Article
Opponents of a proposed plan to shutter Hillside Elementary School pleaded to the Elmbrook School Board for more than three hours Tuesday to consider everything from multiage classrooms to holding a communitywide referendum to raise taxes as alternatives to the closure.
In the end, the majority of board members expressed an overriding concern about "excess capacity" in district classrooms. That factor, they said, would tend to solidify their decision to close Hillside.
The matter is set to be decided when the board meets on Oct. 25.
The lengthy discussion was a continuation of opposition expressed at two previous public hearings.
The multiage classroom proposal came from former Board President Bruce Nattinger, who also urged the current board to consider a referendum and look at selling Swanson Elementary, which he described as having high real estate value.» Read Full Article
To protect the most reliable access the public has to Big Muskego Lake, the Muskego Common Council last night gave the go-ahead for an appraisal that would be the first step in the city possibly buying the boat launch located beside the Boxhorn Gun Club, W13960 Boxhorn Drive.
For about 10 years, the city has leased the boat launch from the gun club to provide the public access to the lake. But that lease is only good for another 10 years. The gun club owner has said that if the club were to go away, he would like to develop the entire property so the city would lose access to the launch, said Craig Anderson, recreation director.
The only other public boat launch on the Big Muskego Lake is at Durham Drive. But for the last two years, boaters have found the channel leading from the launch to the lake blocked by floating islands of cattails, Anderson said.
Anyone heading to a hospital emergency room should call 911 for a ride.
"Many people are hesitant to call 911 unless they think the situation is life or death," Deputy Fire Chief James Case said.
He appreciates that people don't want to abuse the service, but explained that emergency room visits are appropriate reasons to dial those three numbers.
What presents as a minor pain or illness could quickly become more severe, perhaps when someone is driving themselves to the ER. Ambulance crews are equipped and skilled to handle such situations, Case said.
In this economy, people are putting off calling ambulances because they are afraid of the charges or don't think the severity of their medical situation warrants it.» Read Full Article
For locating a handgun that was used in a shooting, Greenfield's police dog and his handler have received a state award.
Police Officer Scott Zienkiewicz and his canine partner Badger were awarded the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Canine Handlers Association 2011 award for Meritorious Article Find.
In the shooting incident that happened in May in Milwaukee, a suspect fled into Greenfield on foot and was later captured at Clement Manor. Zienkiewicz and Badger were asked to search the area for the gun used in the shooting.
The team began where the suspect had discarded a sweatshirt while running. While tracking the suspect's path, Badger located the crucial piece of evidence.
City officials hope the Wisconsin Department of Revenue will approve about $2.1 million in refunds from other taxing entities to help cover a portion of the property tax settlement paid to Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. If the state agrees, Wauwatosa's request would rank as the largest single chargeback issued.
In any given year, chargebacks are used to make minor adjustments to the tax roll. The size of this request - it returns money for several subsequent years' property tax payments - sets it apart, City Attorney Alan Kesner said.
"They've never had one this large," he told the city's Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday.
The city has provided information to the state indicating it has no choice but to collect refunds from the Wauwatosa School District, Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Milwaukee Area Technical College for their portions of the taxes levied on the outpatient health care facility property at 201 N. Mayfair Road. The Supreme Court this summer ruled that a large portion of the property qualifies as tax exempt.
The chargebacks don't come as a surprise to the other taxing entities. Wauwatosa Finance Director John Ruggini has been in talks with officials from each group so they can find ways to come up with their portion of the money.» Read Full Article
An Alterra Café could soon perk up the corner of 68th and Wells streets.
A blighted building sits vacant there, and a developers' proposal to tear it down and replace it with Wauwatosa's second Alterra Café has won the support of both the Plan Commission and Community Development Committee. The coffeehouse's preliminary plans call for a 3,200-square-foot building with an outdoor courtyard.
"Alterra will own it and they will be the only tenant in this building," developer Sean Phelan said.
The Common Council will take action on the matter Tuesday and, if approved, Phelan will get to work finalizing plans.
That lot has been a problem for the city in the past.» Read Full Article
Public Works employees have finished training the use of automated external defibrillators and CPR. That means just about every city worker now has skills to deal with a life-threatening medical incident.
Snowplow drivers, for instance, are in position to see a number of weather-related incidents - such as people collapsing while shoveling their driveways, Deputy Chief James Case said. An AED can be used to a shock a person's heart back into rhythm and keep him or her alive until paramedics arrive.
In the future, the Fire Department hopes to extend those life-saving lessons to the public, Case added.
In the meantime, the Fire Department is taking donations and seeking grant money to equip more of its vehicles with AEDs, Fire Chief Rob Ugaste said.
"We did a great job of getting AEDs in the police patrol cars, but not in our own vehicles," he said.» Read Full Article
Two Wauwatosa teens were arrested for mugging a schoolmate Monday.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
A 16-year-old boy was walking home from Wauwatosa East High School about 4 p.m., when he noticed two guys seemed to be following him. As he approached 74th Street and Melrose Avenue, one of the guys tapped him on the arm and asked if they knew each other.
As the boy started to walk away, he was grabbed by the arm and an object was pushed against the back of his head.
The robber told him to give him all his money, so the boy emptied his wallet. The two muggers ran off, and the boy told a woman who was out in her yard that he had just been robbed.» Read Full Article
A 43-year-old Franklin man caused a store's computer systems to crash after reportedly watching porn using the Wi-Fi.
According to the police report:
The man was at Open Pantry, 7610 W. Rawson St., and the store's computer systems crashed while he was reportedly watching porn, so he was asked to leave the premises prior to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7.
Police warned the man that he is no longer welcome at the business and will be cited for trespassing if he returns.
A Wauwatosa man was charged Monday with robbing PNC Bank, 6810 W. State St.
According to the police report:
Matthew McInnis, 21, handed a note demanding $1,000 to a bank teller. The teller handed over cash, and he walked out the door.
As soon as McInnis was outside, the teller locked the entrance doors and told the security guard the bank had just been robbed at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Discarded clothing was found by the curb and McInnis was detained on Powell Place and 67th Street with cash and a knife in his pockets.» Read Full Article
After months of congestion, Watertown Plank Road is open to two-way traffic. Work will continue along the south side of the road for sidewalks, light poles, and driveways for the next couple of weeks. This may require flagmen or temporary barricades during the day.
The off-road pathways will be paved later this week along with some of the driveway approaches. The final coat of pavement should be done by the end of this month.
Mayor Jill Didier has named her appointments to the city's Community Development Authority.
The body, which will have state-approved authority to negotiate privately about developments involving public lands and public funds, was created to promote economic development - especially mixed-use projects - in Wauwatosa.
While the city has a Plan Commission and Community Development Committee, those chosen for the CDA have a higher level of expertise in the area of development issues and could provide a more critical review of proposed projects than participants of the existing bodies, city staff said.
All appointees live in Wauwatosa. Two are council members and five come from the business community:
Scott Bush holds the title of vice president of operations for Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors.» Read Full Article
Two men who were spreading word about a youth group that promotes self-responsibility got an earful from a Brookfield man when they asked to borrow a lighter to light a cigarette, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also in the report:
A 20-year-old man reported that the two men asked him to borrow the lighter after approaching him about a youth group they were promoting near the intersection of Gebhardt and Barker roads at 7:41 p.m. Oct. 7.
When responding officers found the men, they said the 20-year-old had screamed obscenities at them and yelled "white power."
They also told the officer they were stumping for a youth group that promotes self-responsibility and the notion that the color of one's skin and where they are from have no impact on success - but maintained that they were not accepting donations.» Read Full Article
A Brookfield Academy student who sneaked out of his house on Bermuda Boulevard in the early morning hours Friday to serve a detention without his mother finding out created a false panic when he forgot to close the front door, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also in the report:
The 17-year-old boy's mother called the police just before 6 a.m. Friday, when she discovered that the front door of her home was ajar.
She told officers that she remembered locking the door the night before and worried that an intruder had entered her house.
Officers found the boy serving detention at Brookfield Academy shortly after he was discovered missing from his bedroom.» Read Full Article
Two men robbed the Subway restaurant at 3960 N. Brookfield Road at gunpoint early Monday, according to city of Brookfield police.
A man wearing a black hood and a black bandanna came into the store and ordered the lone employee on duty to the back of the store just before 6:30 a.m., according to the police report.
"All (the employee) could see was eyes and a gun," Brookfield Police Capt. Jim Adlam said.
Once in the back of the store, Adlam said, the man ordered the employee to lie on the floor and then let a second man - also cloaked in a black hood and bandanna - into the store through a back door.
The two men took cash and fled.» Read Full Article
More than $23,000 in jewelry was reported stolen from a village of Elm Grove home, according to an Elm Grove police report.
Also in the report:
A homeowner reported on Oct. 6 that a gold and diamond engagement-wedding ring set valued at $18,000 and a heart-shaped emerald pendant valued at $2,300 had been taken from the home.
The pieces were last seen on a bar in the home in the end of July or beginning of August.
Since that time, people hired to clean the property and adult children of the homeowner's acquaintances have been inside the home.
The North Shore Fire Department reports progress in a search for the cause of a gasoline odor first reported Oct. 5 in the basement of apartment building near Wilson Avenue and Capitol Drive.
According to a department news release, contactors retained by the village of Shorewood have completed initial field tests of soil taken today from the ground in the public right of way in front of 1602 E. Capitol Drive. Those test results show a petroleum-based product in the soil. Test samples are being sent to a laboratory for further analysis.
The village of Shorewood has notified the state of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of the test results in accordance with state statutes. The DNR is responsible to determine whether a specific person or business is responsible for the spill. Once that determination has been made, the responsible party must begin mitigation of the spill.
A contractor hired by the village has installed a vent in the public right of way at 1602 E. Capitol Drive this afternoon to assist in ventilating the area. North Shore Fire/Rescue crews and contractors will continue to perform air testing in the sanitary sewer system throughout the weekend.
Tests performed over the last three days have shown that the ventilation practices being used by North Shore Fire/Rescue, the village and its contractors have been successful in limiting vapors and fumes in the sanitary sewer system. At this time, there is no health danger to the general public.» Read Full Article
Brown Deer Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious device that was located in vacant residence in the 9000 block of North Brandybrook Trail at 8:17 this morning.
According to a news release, a safe perimeter was established by evacuating a limited number of residential homes and condominium units in the immediate area. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad was contacted and rendered the device safe.
It appears at this time to be a hoax device. Area residents were allowed to return to their residences once the device was deemed safe.
At this time an investigation is ongoing to determine the origin of the device.
There were no injuries that occurred as a result of this incident.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State today asked a federal appeals court to rule that Elmbrook School District violated students' constitutional rights by holding some past graduation ceremonies in a church.
A three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September issued a 2-1 decision upholding a lower court ruling stating the district did nothing wrong by holding the Brookfield East and Brookfield Central ceremonies at Elmbrook Church. Now, Americans United, which represents anonymous defendants in the case, wants a full-court review.
"Public schools should schedule graduation ceremonies at facilities where all families feel welcome," Americans United Senior Litigation Counsel Alex J. Luchenitser said. "Students should not have to be immersed in an intensely religious environment of a faith different from their own in order to attend their graduation. Graduation is too important to leave some families out."
The court now has the option of accepting or denying the request.
What is left of a factory and a home badly damaged by fire earlier this year will begin to come down today at Loomis Road and Interstate 894, as the city prepares to again market the properties for redevelopment.
Greenfield had bought the properties as part of the redevelopment project dubbed Greenfield Crossing. Planners would like to see a mix of residential and commercial, possibly including a hotel, go into the site, Richard Sokol, Greenfield director of neighborhood services.
Fire delayed site demolition efforts, and it will take crews the rest of the week to clean up the properties, but the "for sale" signs should be going up in a couple of weeks, Sokol said.
Before the economy tanked, several hotels were interested in the site, which is appealing to prospective developers because it is the first place west of the Mitchell Interchange to offer full freeway access, he said.
Greenfield and its firefighters have about two weeks to reach an agreement on a health insurance plan before the city has to consider making 2012 budget adjustments that could affect other departments.
Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke delivered that message to the Common Council on Tuesday night, noting that service reductions, layoffs in all areas including public safety and reductions in benefits for non-emergency employees might be necessary.
The Greenfield Firefighters Association had asked Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Maxine White for a 30-day delay in implementation of a change in health insurance. White denied that request Tuesday afternoon, but issued a temporary restraining order until Oct. 20. That was meant to give the two sides more time to reach a new collective bargaining contract.
The city wants concessions from the union to help it balance its 2012 budget that is in a vise because of state limits on how much the city can raise property taxes and a loss of state aid.
Because the city is up against a deadline to finish its budget, if negotiations don't yield the needed savings and if the restraining order is extended Neitzke said he will submit an alternative budget that cuts expenses.
Weapons are prohibited from city buildings, the Tosa Common Council decided Tuesday.
There was very little discussion on the topic before votes were cast, 12-4, in favor of the ban that covers guns, knives and electronic weapons. Local law enforcement officers will be the only people allowed to carry such weapons in municipal buildings.
A state law that allows people with a license to carry concealed weapons goes into effect Nov. 1. However, municipalities have the power to prohibit concealed and openly carried weapons within their buildings.
Arguing against the measure, Alderwoman Jacqueline Jay said the city's ban impinges on residents' rights under state law to protect themselves. In addition, she worried that people looking to cause problems or harm wouldn't adhere to the ban, leaving law-abiding residents vulnerable. She was joined in voting against a ban for city-owned buildings by Aldermen Tim Hanson, Cheryl Berdan and Jill Organ.
No one spoke in support of the ban; however, the issue had been discussed at length at the committee level in prior weeks. The city received more than 60 letters from residents supporting the local ban and only a single letter in opposition.» Read Full Article
Two years after Mo's Irish Pub received a controversial approval to raze homes to make space for another parking lot on 108th Place, the pavement is still not in place.
The delay irked Common Council President Eric Meaux to the extent that he asked that a request by the restaurant owners to open earlier on weekends be contingent on the parking lot project moving forward.
"A year is more than an enough time to build a parking lot," he said. "It's been two years."
The council agreed Tuesday night and voted unanimously to allow Mo's to open at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays as long as they have a substantially complete parking lot by the end of the year.
Mo's received all its permits and construction is expected to start next week, City Attorney Alan Kesner said.» Read Full Article
Parking citations in Whitefish Bay are increasing, following action by the Village Board on Monday.
Expired meter tickets are increasing from $10 to $15, while overnight parking citations are increasing from $15 to $20. Handicap parking tickets will be increasing by the greatest increment - from $50 to $150 - and all other parking citations increase from $15 to $25.
After surveying other Milwaukee communities, village officials learned Whitefish Bay was among the lowest with its fee schedule. The hikes present an additional opportunity for the village to increase revenue intake.
While fines are increasing, the village has not announced plans to increase meter prices.
Nicolet boys soccer coach Brian Weisse admits that other North Shore Conference coaches with a hope of gaining a slice of the league title were encouraging and pulling for his side when it visited league leader Whitefish Bay in the finale Tuesday night.
If the Knights could pull off the upset, the potential of a four-way tie for the championship could still be in the offing depending upon other results this evening.
But the host Blue Dukes were having none of that, as on their senior night, the Blue Dukes got a goal out of Max Loebl after a chaotic set of rebounds in the 54th minute and then got an insurance score in the 76th minute on a lovely play by T.J. Schmid to win the title outright with a 2-0 decision.
"Yes, some guys talked to me about it and sometimes that stuff works out, but sometimes it doesn't," said Weisse. "Bay just played a bit better than us tonight."
With the win, the Blue Dukes finished the regular season at 6-1 in NSC play and 13-5 overall, while Nicolet finished at 3-4 and 6-10-2, respectively.» Read Full Article
After deliberation and a rescinded motion, the Whitefish Bay Village Board on Monday voted, 5-2, to hold trick-or-treating from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Staff at Village Hall had recommended the motion.
Trustee Kevin Buckley had successfully led a move to change the festive event to the early evening hours on Monday, Oct. 31, on a 4-3 vote. But concerns were subsequently raised about potential conflicts with after-school activities, and the board reconsidered the motion, opting instead to follow through with the original recommendation.
The Shorewood Village Board on Monday voted to hold trick-or-treating within the village from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. The board's action follows a similar pattern from years prior, when the time-honored, festive event took place the Sunday preceding Halloween.
Wauwatosa has its first candidate for mayor. John Pokrandt today announced his intention to run for election in April.
"My family and I have lived in Wauwatosa for the last 11 years and are proud to call this special place home," he said in a statement. "I have decided to run because I believe that Wauwatosa deserves a passionate and engaged leader. I want to return Wauwatosa to its history of sensible, good governance."
Pokrandt has never held elected office, but he said he has been involved in the community through the Quarry Heights Neighborhood Association.
His campaign slogan is, "Putting Wauwatosa first."
"It means working for business investment and standing up for the city in cases such as Waukesha's water return plans," he said. "Putting Wauwatosa first means being active and engaged in the marketing of this community to businesses and potential residents. It also means being out in the community and being visible, open and available to the residents of this city."» Read Full Article
Mayor Jill Didier can hardly recall attending a meeting with public officials from other communities in attendance where she didn't field questions about her pay.
They wonder why she would work long hours for an annual salary of $22,500.
"It comes up pretty much every meeting that I go to," she said. "People are shocked and awed by that."
Didier said she's kept quiet during past discussions about the mayoral salary to give the Common Council time for debate. The topic has come up several times in the past three years, but any change would not take affect until the next mayoral term begins in April 2012.
She encouraged the Budget Committee last week to determine what level of respect the mayor - and as a result the city - should have among elected peers as well as business contacts such as developers and business owners looking to work with Wauwatosa.» Read Full Article
Eleven jobs will be eliminated if the Common Council approves the proposed 2012 city budget.
Of those positions, 10 are already vacated or are expected to be vacated due to retirement by the end of the year. A proposal to cut a parking specialist position would result in a layoff or a job shift for one employee.
Split into four categories - city hall, public works, police and fire - employee groups were charged with finding cost reductions or revenue increases, City Administrator James Archambo said. In total, departments came up with $1 million in savings, most of which would be achieved by eliminating positions.
"A lot of the gap needs to come from position reductions because we're a service organization and we can't up the levy," he said.
Using more technology» Read Full Article
A 97-year-old man who wanted to watch a Milwaukee Brewers game called 911 to report someone had stolen his remote control.
According to the Greenfield police report:
The man called 911 to report someone had stolen his remote control from his residence in the 9300 block of West Howard Avenue prior to 8 p.m. Sept. 26.
The remote control was found after police responded, so the man was able to watch the Brewers game.
A jury trial on homicide charges filed in the death of Brookfield businessman John C. Aegerter has been pushed back to January so attorneys for Tommy V. Douyette and Lynn M. Hajny can review evidence and arrange for any required expert testimony.
Douyette, 42, of Milwaukee and Hajny, 48, of New Berlin are charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the June 22 beating and strangulation death of Aegerter in the garage of his home, 14320 Golf Parkway.
Waukesha County Court Circuit Judge Patrick Haughney has set a deadline of Nov. 23 for motions to be filed in the case and scheduled a 12-person jury trial to begin Jan. 30.
Haughney also scheduled motion hearings Dec. 15 and Jan. 11.
Jonathan Smith, attorney for Douyette, indicated that a severance motion that would allow the pair to be tried separately may be forthcoming.» Read Full Article
A 31-year-old man says he was beaten and robbed while he was walking his dog Saturday morning, but doctors who treated him say there were no marks or injuries that showed evidence of a beating.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
The man told officers he was walking in the 9500 block of West Sarasota Place at 10:30 a.m. when someone struck him on the lower back with a piece of wood, knocked him to the ground and kicked him several times. He never got a look at the attackers except that he saw a tan hand when someone took the watch from his wrist.
The victim said he believes there were two attackers and that one demanded his wallet and threatened his dog's life if he didn't get money. Cash was taken from his pockets, and he was struck in the head with the butt of a pistol several times before he blacked out.
When he awoke, the robbers were gone and his dog was in the street.» Read Full Article
Anybody who wants to know what the Interstate 94 freeway will look like when all the work is completed can see it in 3-D at the Greenfield Public Library.
The library, 5310 W. Layton Ave., will display a large scale model of the I-94 North-South Freeway project for public viewing.
Viewers can see how the three tunnels will work, how the 27th Street Interchange will be configured, and the changes that are in store at the Mitchell interchange.
The library is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Gateway Plastics will move ahead with the next step in a proposal to bring a railroad spur to the north end of the plant at 5650 W. County Line Road.
Company chairman Carl Vogel said the railroad has indicated its support of the plan but he wanted to consult with the city's Plan Commission before proceeding.
The spur would branch off from the existing Canadian Pacific Railroad lines just south of a creek crossing and across the Interurban trail from the Elmdale Court area of the city, cross three parcels of property and Riebs Lane before reaching its destination, a proposed 420-square-foot pump house. Materials from the train cars would be pumped into the building.
Vogel said the rail siding will eliminate resin delivery now done by truck. Currently resin is delivered at the rate of 20 loads per week or 1,000 trucks annually. The rail deliveries will be once or twice a week, he said.
The rail spur would cross the northern end of the Kleen Test property. In return for allowing the spur to cross Kleen Test, Vogel said he has agreed to build Kleen Test a parking lot for its semitrailers that are now parking on Riebs Lane for lack of other space.» Read Full Article
A Mequon family is safe after police and firefighters evacuated them from their home after several people fell ill with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning Monday.
According to a news release from Mequon Police, police and firefighter personnel were dispatched to a home in the 11100 block of Lake Shore Lane after a person had fallen in the residence.
When they arrived, it was determined that there were four individuals in the residence that were experiencing the symptoms of possible carbon monoxide exposure. The homeowner said the heating system had been turned on earlier in the day for the first time this season.
Mequon ambulance along with mutual aid assistance from the North Shore Fire Department and Thiensville ambulance transported five adult patients to Milwaukee area to Milwaukee area hospitals for treatment.
The incident is under investigation by the Mequon Police and Fire Departments.
A businessman said that a woman he paid for a massage stole cash and his wedding ring from his hotel room after he declined her offer for a "happy ending" Sept. 28, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also in the report:
The 33-year-old man reported at 5:45 p.m. Sept. 28 that a masseuse had taken $50 from his wallet and his wedding ring from the room he rented at the Sheraton Hotel, 375 S. Moorland Road.
He requested that a detective - or any officer dressed in street clothes - respond to the hotel because he was there for a business conference and did not want to draw attention to himself.
He told responding officers that he paid the woman for a massage, and she took his personal effects and left after he declined her offer for a "happy ending."» Read Full Article
An 80-year-old Brookfield man was arrested for drunken driving and hit and run after striking a restaurant, two cars and two trees with his car Sept. 29, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also in the report:
The man was leaving Maxim's Restaurant, 18025 W. Capitol Drive, at 1:54 p.m. Sept. 29 when he struck the building, two cars and two trees, causing minor damage.
Restaurant staff got the man's name from a credit card receipt and reported the incident to police.
The man was arrested for his third offense of drunken driving when officers went to his home and found his damaged car parked in an open garage.» Read Full Article
Fire suppression and detection systems are credited with quelling two fires in the city of Brookfield before major damages were incurred last week.
According to Fire Department reports:
Firefighters found a light haze of smoke coming from the kitchen when they arrived at Best Western Midway, 1005 S. Moorland Road, at 2:21 a.m. Sept. 30. It was later determined that a pile of rags used for cleaning had somehow ignited.
Hotel guests were evacuated.
Water from the fire-suppression sprinkler system extinguished the blaze and prevented any damage to the building.» Read Full Article
More than $21,000 in jewelry was taken from a home in the 3600 block of Muirwood Drive on Sept. 28, it was reported to city of Brookfield police.
According to the police report, the burglary happened between 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Sept. 28. The intruder pried open a rear casement window to get into the home after an attempt to pry open a rear patio door failed.
The case remains under investigation.
A Brookfield man who thought he had negotiated a payment plan for outstanding credit card debt became the victim of fraud, according to a city of Brookfield police report.
Also from the report:
The 79-year-old man reported that he stopped making payments on a $28,000 credit card balance in December because he could no longer afford to.
In a series of phone calls with someone claiming to be a representative of the credit card company, the man agreed to pay $5,800 in 36 monthly payments if the remainder of the balance was forgiven.
The unidentified suspect had the man's personal information and details of his credit account.» Read Full Article
The 70 percent of Wauwatosa property owners who don't pay their taxes in person at City Hall will need to go to the city's website to print out receipts this year.
For the first time, the city won't be mailing property tax payment receipts. The change is meant to save the city time and money, Business Supervisor Derik Summerfield said.
The city also will no longer use a courier to take tax payments from City Hall to the bank - that will happen electronically, he said.
Even though bank fees will increase because of the electronic submissions, the reduction in paperwork and courier time will result in a $5,000 savings for the Treasurer's Office.
Property owners who come to City Hall and pay at the counter will continue to receive a paper receipt. Residents who mail in the payments could submit a self-addressed stamped envelope or come to the Treasurer's Office at any time to get a print out, Summerfield said.» Read Full Article
More than 200 students and their loved ones walked, bicycled, scooted or skateboarded to McKinley Elementary School today to celebrate International Walk to School Day.
The event helped launch the Walking School Bus Program. Four routes are being offered that will allow children to meet up and walk to school together with one or more adult chaperons.
A larger group is easier for drivers to see crossing the street than one or two children, so walking with friends makes the trip to school safer. Plus, children who walk or ride a bike to school get more physical exercise.
The school PTA organized the Walk to School Day event.
The Children's Theatre of Wauwatosa is celebrating its 75th year of bringing the arts to local youth with a six-show season.
The curtain will rise on the first show, "Choose Thine Own Adventure," at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at Wauwatosa West High School. The introduction to Shakespeare will be presented.
Season tickets are on sale online at TosaRec.com or at the Wauwatosa Recreation Department, 11400 W. Center St., for $18. Single admission tickets are sold the day of the each show for $4.
The other plays that will be performed are "To Laugh is to Live," "The Crying Princess and the Golden Goose," "The Princess Went Thataway," "The Land of the Dragon" and "Let's Keep the Dream Alive" and "The Musicians."