Waukesha Salvation Army boosts Red Kettle goal
Waukesha - When the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign kicks off Nov. 5 in Waukesha County, the agency is hoping that bell ringers can bring in $365,000 this Christmas season - about $15,000 more than they raised last year.
Counting expected donations made directly to Salvation Army in addition to the Red Kettle Campaign, the Waukesha chapter hopes to raise its highest Christmas fund total ever - $535,000, the agency announced.
The Salvation Army uses about 16,000 volunteers to staff the red kettles stationed throughout Waukesha County until Dec. 24. Commanders Ron and Carol Lemirand said hundreds of spots are still open and volunteers can sign up at www.waukeshasalvationarmy.org.
Higher demand for services - from nights in the homeless shelter to community meals to Christmas toys for children - accounts for the higher fund-raising goal.
Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima is scheduled to ring the first bell of the Red Kettle campaign at Pick 'n Save, 1535 E. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha, beginning at 10 a.m. Nov. 5.
Waukesha manufacturer plans expansion
Miro Tool & Manufacturing Inc. is planning to add 22,000 square feet in manufacturing space, and 1,750 square feet in office space, to its main Waukesha building.
Miro plans to begin construction in July on the addition to its facility at 201 Sentry Drive, said President Jeff Brown. That project, to be reviewed by the city Plan Commission at its Wednesday night meeting, is to be completed by February, he said.
Brown said the $1.8 million expansion will provide more efficient work space for the growing company, which also operates in two nearby buildings on Philip Drive. Miro operates within a total of 42,000 square feet, he said.
Miro, which provides laser cutting, tooling and other industrial services, has 43 employees, Brown said. He expects to add more workers, and said Miro is continually looking for skilled employees.
Mountain bike trail to open June 1 in Waukesha's Minooka Park
The first leg of a new mountain bike trail in Waukesha County's Minooka Park opens Saturday, June 1.
The trail, located near the park's picnic shelter 5, is being opened in three phases and eventually will total five miles. The part that's opening is 1.5 miles.
"The mountain bike trails will meet a community and regional need and promote bicycling and outdoor activities in the park," Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas said in a news release.
The county worked with the Waukesha Bicycle Alliance, and members of the bike organization volunteered nearly 500 hours in planning and building the trail, Vrakas said. Waukesha County has fewer than five miles of off-road trails for bicycles.
Minooka Park is at 1927 E. Sunset Drive in Waukesha. The grand opening event for the trail is from 9 a.m. to noon and is free, though there is usually a $4-a-car entrance fee to the park. The trail opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, from April 1 to Nov. 1. The trail can be used for snowshoeing in winter.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha County Sheriff Detective arrested for OWI Sunday morning
Waukesha County Sheriff Dan Trawicki reported Monday evening that early Sunday, a Waukesha County Sheriff's detective was arrested for operating while intoxicated.
The release said the detective was arrested at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday by the Sparta Police Department. It states the detective has served on the Sheriff's Department for 23 years and was off duty at the time of the arrest.
The Sheriff's Department is investigating the matter and the detective has been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation, the release states.
Waukesha woman's smile featured on NASCAR race car Saturday
When Waukesha resident Tina Johnson began experiencing oral pain and infections in 2010, she spent a lot of time looking for answers, to no avail. But all of that changed once she met Aspen Dental practice owner Dr. Alison Teske (Meudt), DDS, and her team in Waukesha, Wis., who successfully treated Tina for periodontal disease and gave her a new reason to smile—her health.
On May 18, Aspen Dental and Stewart-Haas Racing celebrated Johnson’s good health and experience by showcasing her healthy smile on Ryan Newman’s No. 39 Aspen Dental Chevrolet during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte, N.C., Motor Speedway.
Johnson was selected to have her photo featured on the No. 39 Chevrolet based on her comments on the Aspen Dental Facebook page.
Read more in Thursday's Waukesha Now.
Waukesha museum plans sneak peek Saturday of Les Paul exhibit
Fans of the guitar innovator and Waukesha native Les Paul can get a sneak peek of the Waukesha County Museum's new exhibit on him Saturday.
The exhibit, called "Les Paul: The Wizard of Waukesha," formally opens on June 9.
The museum at 101 W. Main St. has an open house from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, as part of the city's Historic Preservation Days.
Among items in the exhibit are a rare guitar and other items acquired at a California auction.
Golden Guernsey dairy plant sold to Illinois company
The Golden Guernsey dairy plant in Waukesha was sold at a bankruptcy auction Tuesday to Lifeway Foods Inc. of Morton Grove, Ill., for $7.4 million.
The plant employed 112 people before it closed Jan. 5 and left dozens of school districts scrambling for another milk supplier.
Lifeway - which makes kefir, a dairy product similar to yogurt - says it would like to reopen the Waukesha plant this summer, employing as many people as possible.
The company, with plants in Illinois and Pennsylvania, had $89.8 million in sales in 2012 and is traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange. It has about 360 employees.
Lifeway topped another bidder, Superior Dairy LLC from Canton, Ohio, by $100,000 to acquire Golden Guernsey.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha neighborhood evacuation ends; grenade called safe
A device described as a military-style grenade that prompted the evacuation of residents in Waukesha neighborhood Thursday has been determined to be safe, police said.
Shortly before 4 p.m. authorities were called to the 300 block of Wilson Ave., where the device was found in the driveway of a residence, police said.
Nearby homes were evacuated and the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office bomb was called to the scene, taking custody of the device after deciding it was safe, police said.
Taco shop to donate part of sales in memory of slain Waukesha woman
Taco John's in Waukesha will donate 50% of all sales Thursday to a memorial fund in honor of a 24-year-old mother who was killed outside her Waukesha home, according to the restaurant's Facebook page.
Shanel "Nani" Negron was shot to death April 22. Eddie Callaway, 26, her boyfriend, was the main suspect and fled Wisconsin. When police caught up with him last week in Indiana, he turned a gun on himself and committed suicide.
Negron is survived by a 3-year-old daughter. The benefit at Taco John's is from 6:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Woman in Saturday's crash was operating with suspended driver's license
The woman who crashed her truck into a tree last weekend in Waukesha was operating her vehicle with a suspended driver’s license, Sgt. Jerry Habanek said Wednesday.
Habanek said the woman, who has not been named, will receive a citation for operating while suspended as well as failure to have control.
The Waukesha Police Department is waiting for blood results to determine if any controlled substances were a factor in the crash, Habanek said.
The incident occurred just before 10:30 a.m. Saturday when the 30-year-old woman crashed her truck into a tree at 726 E. Main St.
The woman’s two children were in the vehicle and were transported to Children’s Hospital with what police believed to be life-threatening injuries.
» Read Full ArticleMother, two children, suffer life-threatening injuries in Waukesha crash
Three people, including two young children, sustained life-threatening injuries in a late morning crash in Waukesha Saturday.
Waukesha Police said a vehicle struck a tree in the 700 block of Main St. shortly before 10:30 a.m. The driver, a 30-year-old woman, and her two children, whose ages were not available, all suffered serious injuries and were transported to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter, police said.
No further information was available.
Waukesha man held on $3 million bail in triple homicide case
The three victims of a triple homicide in rural Lafayette County are being buried Saturday as their suspected killer remains in jail on $3 million bail.
Private funeral arrangements are set for 11 a.m. at Wiota Lutheran Church for Gary Thoreson, 70; his wife, Chloe Thoreson, 66; and his brother Dean, 76. A memorial fund has been established in Gary and Chloe's name, and donations to the Lafayette County K-9 Unit can be made in honor of Dean.
Jaren M. Kuester, 31, of Waukesha is incarcerated in the Lafayette County Jail in connection with the Sunday slayings.
Kuester was arrested Sunday afternoon in Waukesha and turned over to Lafayette County authorities early Monday. Judge William D. Johnston made a finding of probable cause that Kuester committed a crime warranting detention pending the filing of charges, Lafayette Sheriff Scott Pedley said. The finding was critical, because under state law, a person arrested must be charged or have a judicial finding of probable cause made within 48 hours of arrest to justify continued detention. The judge has sealed the probable cause determination and search warrants related to the case.
Pedley said a criminal complaint will be filed when all the necessary information is obtained. Kuester is due back in court for an initial appearance at 1 p.m. Friday.
» Read Full ArticleTown vote keeps most land outside of Waukesha water area
Town of Waukesha - Town Chairman John Marek said Friday he was unable to persuade a majority of the Town Board at a special meeting Thursday to place most of the municipality in the City of Waukesha's water service area.
The board did not rescind a January decision to include only a small northern portion of the town within the service area boundary. As a consequence, most town property owners will be left out of the area and unable to connect to city water or sewer service in the future, Marek said.
The Town Board Thursday reaffirmed a proposal setting several conditions for including most of the town in the service area. The offer, first approved at a board meeting Monday, was rejected by City Administrator Ed Henschel.
Henschel said Friday his position has not changed. There is no time to negotiate terms of the proposed development agreement, revenue sharing agreement or other conditions, he said.
An April 30 deadline set by the city for a final decision has passed.
Meijer reveals plans to come to Waukesha
Mayor Jeff Scrima said Meijer, Inc. has revealed plans for the construction of a proposed store in the City of Waukesha.
Scrima said Meijer would construct its food, clothing and home good merchandising center on the 30-acre parcel located at the southeast corner of Sunset Drive and Tenny Avenue, pending governmental approval.
A preliminary timeline is for construction to begin during the first quarter of 2014 with a store opening scheduled for summer of 2015.
This comes after plans were recently announced to redevelop the former vacant Kmart store on east Sunset Drive. Xperience Fitness will be one of the tenants at that location with space available for other retail stores.
In 2011, Scrima and local property owner Dave Smart invited and encouraged Meijer to come to Waukesha.
» Read Full ArticleMeijer proposes supermarket in Waukesha
Meijer Inc. plans to open a supermarket and discount store on Waukesha's southeast side.
The 192,940-square-foot store would be on around 30 acres south of E. Sunset Drive, east of Tenny Ave., said Brian Randall, an attorney for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer.
The proposal will be reviewed by the city Plan Commission on Wednesday, he said. Meijer also plans to operate a gas station at the site.
As part of its push into Wisconsin, Meijer has proposed supermarket and discount stores in other Milwaukee-area communities, including Grafton, Wauwatosa, Sussex and Oak Creek. The retailer dropped plans for a store in Franklin.
The Meijer store would be roughly a half-mile east of a former Kmart store that's being redeveloped with city financing help.
» Read Full ArticleMan shot by police charged with reckless endangerment
A 44-year-old Waukesha man shot by officers on April 21 after allegedly running at police wielding two knives was charged Wednesday with recklessly endangering safety and obstructing an officer.
Gibson P. Martin could potentially face more than 16 years in prison for allegedly threatening to, “cut throats” and taking a family friend hostage during the early morning standoff. Five different law enforcement officials, three Waukesha Police officers and two Sheriff’s deputies, fired rounds at Martin, who was transported by helicopter to Froedtert Hospital for medical treatment. He allegedly told an officer he wanted to, “commit suicide by cop.”
The District Attorney’s reviewed the incident, as is standard whenever a law enforcement official uses deadly force in the line of duty, and found no basis for charging the officers involved.
District Attorney Brad Schimel said in a letter sent to the Waukesha Police Department and Sheriff’s Department: “…Any reasonable person in the circumstances of the officers would have perceived that Mr. Martin posed a clear threat of great bodily harm or death to others.”
According to the criminal complaint:
» Read Full Article
