Waukesha's next Common Council meeting canceled, postpones District 6 decision
A decision was supposed to be made on Thursday, July 5 on which one of the three candidates for the District 6 aldermanic position would join the 15-member Waukesha Common Council.
But on Friday, the Mayor’s Office indicated that due to a lack of quorum, the meeting has been canceled.
Mayor Jeff Scrima said earlier in the week that because of the Fourth of July holiday he was checking to see if there would be enough council members available. He said 10 members are needed to conduct city business.
As a result, the next Common Council meeting will now be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 at the City Hall Council Chambers.
At that meeting, the candidates will then be interviewed by the Council and then they will vote in open session.
» Read Full ArticleCarroll University issues alert after assaults
Authorities at Carroll University in Waukesha issued an alert Thursday after two students were assaulted near Frontier and Pioneer halls, according to a news release from the school's public safety department.
According to the release, shortly after 12:30 a.m., a student walking in a small group was slightly injured after being assaulted at the intersection of Grand Ave. and Carroll St.
The assailants in that incident are described as two Hispanic males approximately 18 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall with buzz-cut hair.
Both were wearing shorts and one was wearing a T-shirt, according to the release.
At about 9 p.m. Tuesday a female student was accosted near Frontier Hall by a man on a bicycle who grabbed her and tried to pull her close to him. The same man grabbed her in a similar fashion about 8 p.m. June 18, but the student did not initially report the incident.
» Read Full ArticleMore security being requested for Waukesha Public Library
Waukesha’s newly appointed library director Grant Lynch has requested to employ security staff at the library this summer.
Traditionally, the library does not employ security during this time period due to a lack of security-related incidents, but Lynch said it has become a need.
In a memo to Steve Neaman and Steve Crandell of the City of Waukesha’s Finance Committee, Lynch said the number of patron behavior and drug-use incidents has risen substantially over the past 12 months and immediate action to appropriately deal with these ongoing threats has become necessary.
"An absent security presence for summer 2012 presents a potentially dangerous situation for library staff and patrons alike, and it will be a result of maintaining the current level of security that incidents will be greatly minimized, if not entirely eliminated from daily operations," Lynch said.
The Finance Committee reviewed his request on Monday and if approved it went before the Common Council on Tuesday. It would cost $7,920 to add more security personnel for the summer. This money would not come from the library’s budget but from the city’s contingency fund, as the Waukesha Public Library did not anticipate the sharp rise in security-related incidents for the 2012 fiscal year, which has now led to a shortfall in funding.
» Read Full ArticleJudge refuses to halt Town of Brookfield incorporation process
Waukesha - Waukesha County Circuit Judge Donald J. Hassin Jr. Wednesday refused to halt proceedings in the Town of Brookfield incorporation attempt, a delay sought by the Town of Waukesha, which has two appeals on the matter pending.
Hassin said a successful appeal was unlikely and the Town of Waukesha could always seek another delay in the future if necessary.
Town of Brookfield Attorney James Hammes said an order temporarily halting judicial and administrative proceedings is already in place by agreement of the Town and City of Brookfield, the City of Waukesha and the Village of Sussex. Those municipalities earlier requested the delay so they could participate in mediation sessions related to the incorporation request.
That stay was set to expire June 30, but it has been extended because the municipalities agreed to schedule additional mediation sessions Aug. 7 and Aug. 23, Hammes said. One has been held so far.
The Town of Waukesha was asked to join in mediation but refused.
» Read Full ArticleRegistration due for fair events
The Waukesha County Fair isn’t for a few more weeks, but registration papers for a few of the fair’s events are due by this weekend.
Fairest of the Fair
Waukesha County residents, at least 18 years old before July 18, are eligible to be the Fairest of the Fair.
The winner is selected based on personality, communication skills, school and community activities, professional appearance, knowledge of and experience with the Waukesha County Fair.
The Fairest of the Fair is the official host and spokeswoman for the 2012 Waukesha County Fair with duties including welcoming the public, interviews with the media, announcing special events, judging and participating in contests and awarding ribbons.
» Read Full ArticleYou can help drought-stressed trees
The City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department is asking citizens to help maintain street trees during the current drought conditions throughout Southeast Wisconsin.
Waukesha County to examine pay, benefits structure
Waukesha - Waukesha County has hired a consultant to study the pay and benefits of county employees in an effort to answer questions from the public and elected officials about how the county's compensation system compares to the private sector as well as other governments.
In a memo to county employees Tuesday, Jim Richter, human resources manager, wrote, "In tough economic times, a great deal of pressure is placed on local governments to continue to provide high quality services with fewer and fewer resources. This type of environment tends to increase awareness of salaries and benefits of public sector employees and a general belief that public employees have overly generous benefits."
That was a central theme during last year's political storm around enactment of legislation that shifted pension and health care benefits onto certain public employees and all-but-eliminated public employee collective bargaining.
Waukesha County has 335 employees who were not union members and another 700 employees who were formerly in unions but no longer are since the change in state law that weakened union representation.
Pay for the first group was previously determined by job content, the market and general business practices, Richter said. Pay for the larger group had been determined by collective bargaining by unions that no longer represent those employees.
» Read Full ArticleFire damages Waukesha medical office building
Waukesha - A fire early Tuesday damaged a medical office building at 1111 Delafield St.
The fire was reported about 2:35 a.m., and when police and firefighters arrived they saw flames coming through the roof of the building, according to Waukesha Police Department dispatch records.
The fire was extinguished about 3:35 a.m., and firefighters said there was extensive damage to at least one office at the building at Delafield and W. Moreland Blvd.
Early morning blaze damages medical center
A fire at the Moreland Medical Center, 1111 Delafield St., was reported around 2:30 a.m. this morning.
Bicyclists will flock to downtown Waukesha for Sunday's Carl Zach Cycling Classic
With the Carl Zach Cycling Classic taking place Sunday, downtown Waukesha will become the hub for hundreds of bicyclists this weekend.
Beginning with the boys and girls ages 10 to 14 junior division at 10:30 a.m., there are 10 races throughout the day. The last race begins at 6:30 p.m. and is a 90-minute race.
Streets used for the race route during the day will be closed.
The route will run in a clockwise direction starting on W. Main St. in front of Court Insurance, 379 W. Main St., and heading east.
Bicyclists, who could travel more than 30 mph in the pro divisions, will then turn south on Grand Avenue, west on Wisconsin Avenue, south on Maple Avenue, west on W. Park Ave., north on West Avenue, east on Main Street and then back to the start/finish line in front of Couri Insurance, the sponsor for this year’s race.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha restarts administrator search with new firm
Waukesha - After first moving back to square one in their search for Waukesha's next city administrator when the only contender declined the job offer, city officials now are starting anew with a recruiting firm.
The Human Resources Committee on Wednesday agreed to seek Common Council approval to end the city's contract with the Florida-based consulting firm of Colin Baenziger & Associates and turn to another, Voorhees Associates of Deerfield, Ill.
Donna Hylarides Whalen, the city's human resources director, said Baenziger offered three options to the committee after it was unable to agree on any other candidate among the finalists. The committee's top choice, a city administrator from Grand Rapids, Minn., withdrew his application after he was interviewed and selected for the job.
Whalen said Baenziger offered to again advertise for applicants nationally, to change the approach to recruiting a candidate or to turn the job over to another firm of the city's choosing. The committee chose the third, provided the Common Council agrees.
The committee and Baenziger settled on a $5,000 fee of the $20,500 approved contract for work done and will ask that Voorhees be paid up to $15,500 to complete the new search, keeping the overall cost the same.
» Read Full ArticleState says it will not approve Milwaukee conditions on Waukesha water deal
Waukesha's request to buy Lake Michigan water from Milwaukee - projected to bring the city more than $3 million a year - has ended before talks got started.
Milwaukee's offer to negotiate selling Lake Michigan water to Waukesha for the city's needs, but not for adjoining municipalities in a future water service area, is dead on arrival, a state Department of Natural Resources official said Wednesday.
The DNR will not accept such a restriction on Waukesha's future water service area if it pursues a lake-only water supply, Eric Ebersberger, the department's water use sec tion chief, said.
"They will have to have a supplier willing to serve the entire service area," he said.
Waukesha could turn to Oak Creek or Racine for a water deal. Waukesha officials also suggested they are willing to accept restrictions on distributing water to the larger service area as part of negotiations with Milwaukee.
» Read Full ArticleCharges filed in slaying at Waukesha gas station
Waukesha - The suspect being held in the shooting death late last month of a Waukesha gas station clerk was charged Tuesday with first-degree intentional homicide, armed robbery with use of force, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of marijuana.
Billy J. Ingram, 20, of Waukesha was on probation for burglary when he was arrested May 30, one day after the killing of Nayyer M. Rana, 56, at the Broadway Petro Mart.
Court Commissioner Laura Lau ordered Ingram held on $1 million bail during his initial court appearance Tuesday.
Rana was shot sometime before 4:19 a.m. May 29, and his body was discovered by a customer. The customer told police he opened the door to the store but did not enter after he saw Rana on his back in a pool of blood and blood coming from his mouth, court records say.
Although Ingram was arrested last month, authorities were able to detain him without charging him in the killing because he had violated the terms of his probation.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha man charged with 13 counts of child pornography in Waukesha County Court Monday
A 21-year-old Waukesha man who used the Internet site, Skout.com, to allegedly sexual assault a 13-year old boy was in court Monday on child pornography charges.
Daniel R. Schmidt was charged on separate charges of 13 counts of possession of child pornography from March 23.
He was to appear at the Waukesha County Courthouse this afternoon with a preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. Aug. 2.
He was also appearing in court for two charges of drug trafficking and one charge on the intent to deliver methamphetamine last fall.
Schmidt was also charged June 5 with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old Muskego boy he met on Skout.com, a mobile flirting website.
» Read Full ArticleCatholic Memorial wins Division 2 title
Years from now, perhaps when they are all old and gray, the Catholic Memorial girls soccer team from 2012 will gather and remember.
They will remember how they shut out 21 opponents to set a school record.
They'll remember how they posted six straight shutouts in the playoffs.
And they'll recall - probably with the biggest smile of all - how they won the school's fifth WIAA Division 2 state championship.
The Crusaders did all that Saturday afternoon at Uihlein Soccer Park, defeating Mount Horeb, 2-0. With the win, only Whitefish Bay, with seven, has more WIAA state soccer titles.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha hit-and-run suspect arrested
Waukesha Police arrested Carlos M. Ward, 29, from Milwaukee as a suspect in a hit-and-run that injured a woman and killed her service dog June 8.
Police were looking for a cream or light-colored 1993-95 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. The vehicle had damage to the passenger side front quarter panel. The vehicle registration plates have the numbers “22” in the plate.
According to a press release at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, a Waukesha Police officer saw a vehicle matching the description of the one witnessed leaving the accident. The officer stopped the vehicle and a subsequent investigation confirmed it to be the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run, according to the release.
Ward was arrested and transported to the police department. He admitted his involvement in the hit-and-run of the woman, but did not realize he had struck the dog, stated the release.
Ward was issued citations for hit-and-run accident-causing injury, operating a motor vehicle without insurance and failure to yield right of way while making a left-hand turn. He was released.
» Read Full ArticleMan hits car, crashes into transformer
A 50-year-old man had a medical emergency causing him to hit another vehicle and a We Energies transformer in Waukesha on Wednesday evening.
Lt. Dan Baumann sent a news release indicating around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police responded to an accident in the 2400 block of Springdale Road.
Officers found a man in his 50s suffering from a severe medical emergency. He apparently struck another vehicle in the road and then veered into a parking lot of an apartment building hitting a ground transformer and severing it from its base.
We Energies was later on scene to fix the damage to the transformer.
The man was transported to Waukesha Memorial Hospital by the City of Waukesha Fire Department. The driver's medical condition is unknown at this time.
Annual Waukesha summer concert series begins Thursday in Cutler Park
It can’t be summer in Waukesha without the Waukesha Civic Band Summer Concert series.
The weekly music series returns Thursday at the Les Paul Performance Center in Cutler Park for its 69th year.
The series offers music in the park for nine weeks (every Thursday for one hour) until Aug. 9. Each performance, outside of that Aug. 9 show when it is at 7:30 p.m., is at 8 p.m.
Thursday’s show will offer selections from “The Wizard of Oz.”
All concerts are free and open to the public.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha still waiting on town's water decision
Waukesha - More than a year after the Waukesha Town Board was asked whether it wants in or out of a proposed water supply area serviced by its neighboring city, the Waukesha Water Utility is still waiting for an answer.
The town's yearlong consulting contract with Bruce Baker, the former state water expert with the Department of Natural Resources hired to advise the town on its water issues, expired last week. The Town Board's Thursday agenda includes an extension of the contract.
Baker has been paid $14,925 so far, at the rate of $150 an hour.
Town Chairman Angie Van Scyoc did not respond to questions by phone or email about the water service area decision.
The City of Waukesha has included a long-range water service area, developed by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, in its application for Lake Michigan water under the Great Lakes Compact. The service area extends beyond the city's borders to parts of the towns of Waukesha and Genesee and smaller parts of the Town of Delafield and the City of Pewaukee.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha native lands teaching fellowship
The daughter of a teacher and a school board member, Kaitlyn O’Bryan of Waukesha has been awarded a fellowship from the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation worth $175,000 over five years.
The foundation awarded fellowships to 34 beginning teachers in 19 states. The fellowship program is aimed at those who are on the verge of their teaching certificate. The goal is to help new teachers get established in the profession, while also limiting the number of people who leave the field. As a result, the fellowship represents a commitment by O’Bryan to teaching math once she finishes her teacher preparation course work at the University of Minnesota
“The world needs more collaborative problem solvers,” O’Bryan said.
O’Bryan said the fellowship will provide tuition support, opportunities for professional development and grants for teaching materials.
As an undergraduate at Gustavus Adolphus College, O’Bryan majored in math and studio art. She acknowledges the combination could seem a bit odd at first.
» Read Full ArticleLawyer suffers heart attack in courtroom
Quick actions by Milwaukee County Sheriff's deputies and courthouse personnel may have saved the life of a lawyer who suffered a heart attack in a courtroom Monday.
Bradley Bloch, 60, of Waukesha, was representing a client in a misdemeanor plea and sentencing in Courtroom 623 of the Milwaukee County Courthouse about 11 a.m. when he suddenly stopped speaking, began having difficulty breathing and began to collapse, according to the sheriff's office. A deputy in Circuit Judge J.D. Watts' courtroom broke Bloch's fall and immediately began CPR.
Another deputy grabbed a defibrillator from the same floor of the courthouse and alternated treatment with the CPR until emergency medical staff from the Milwaukee Fire Department responded.
Bloch was taken by ambulance to the intensive care unit at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital.
Gerry Kuchler, a lawyer who shares office space with Bloch, said Tuesday he remained in intensive care. Bloch had undergone bypass surgery for heart problems in the last two months, Kuchler said.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha police seek leads on driver who struck, killed dog, hurt owner
Waukesha - Waukesha police are asking for help in locating the driver of a hit-and-run vehicle that killed a Town of Waukesha woman's service dog and left her with a broken foot Friday night.
"I've been crying forever," Deborah Schultz said Monday, explaining that her golden retriever, Lexie, was a gift from her husband, John, given four days before he was killed in an accident in 2008.
As a result of her husband's accident and death, Schultz said she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had Lexie trained as a service dog who accompanied her everywhere.
Schultz, 54, said she was headed to her car from her sister's business in downtown Waukesha and its Friday night concert series when the accident occurred. She was in the crosswalk at N. Barstow St. and Broadway about 9:45 p.m. when hit, police said.
Several witnesses saw the accident and got a partial license plate number, Police Capt. Ron Oremus said. A piece of the fender was left at the scene.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha West athletic director, assistant principal leaving school
Just as students are departing for the school year this week around the Waukesha School District, Waukesha West's athletic director has announced he is moving on as well.
Todd Hencsik, who also serves as the school's assistant principal, has been offered the principal's job at Hononegah High School in Rockton, Ill., a village in Winnebago County in northern Illinois, five miles south of Beloit, Wis.
His last day at West is June 30.
Hencsik has been at West for four years. Before that, he was an assistant principal/athletic director at Bradley Tech High School in Milwaukee. He also coached many sports for West Allis Central before coming to West.
He and his family (his wife, Lisa, is a teacher at Kettle Moraine High School and their 14-month old son, Parker) live in Eagle and will remain there. Hencsik said he'll make the 50-minute commute each day.
» Read Full ArticleLindenberg seeks final push for Les Paul auction donations
Jim Lindenberg likes what he is seeing but still needs more help.
Lindenberg, who lives in Lake Country, has made a push to have people make donations for the Les Paul auction that begins today and goes through Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif., and online at www.juliensauctions.com.
As of Friday morning, Lindenberg said $30,500 has been raised and he just received a commitment for a $50,000 challenge gift, meaning if $19,500 is donated by Saturday, the project will receive the challenge gift.
This would then reach Lindenberg's goal of $100,000.
Lindenberg wants to bring the auction items, which includes equipment, memorabilia and personal items from the musician/inventor's life to the Waukesha County Museum.
» Read Full ArticleWaukesha, Kohl's settle lawsuit on store tax assessments
Waukesha - The Common Council agreed Thursday night to settle a lawsuit filed by Kohl's Department Stores Inc. challenging the city's 2009 and 2010 property assessments on its store at Fox Run Shopping Center. The settlement lowers the store's property value about 11%.
As a result, the city will refund a share of the taxes paid, plus interest, Assistant City Attorney Julie Gay said.
The city's initial assessment put the store's value at $7.9 million in both years. Kohl's lawsuit claimed the value was no greater than $5.5 million in each year.
According to the settlement, the new value was set 10.8% lower for 2009, at $7,076,000, and 11.7% lower for 2010, at $6,999,933.
Kohl's had paid about $160,000 in property taxes on the initial assessments in each year and was seeking a combined refund of about $98,700, plus interest. The final refund amount is about $36,000 plus interest, city officials said Friday.
» Read Full ArticleLongtime Catholic Memorial staff member announces retirement
Longtime Catholic Memorial staff member Patrick Farrell, who is currently the associate principal for student life, will retire effective Jan. 1, 2013.
Farrell has been at CMH for 40 years.
He came to CMH as an English teacher in the fall of 1972. During his tenure, he has served many roles as a teacher, coach and administrator.
Since his time at CMH spans more than four decades he has now taught a third generation of students from the same families.
According to a news release, Farrell will spend his final semester to the growth of CMH's new Academic Resource Center and the soon-to-be- established Learning Commons.
» Read Full ArticleTown of Waukesha seeks halt to Town of Brookfield incorporation process
Waukesha - The Waukesha Town Board is seeking to halt further proceedings in the Town of Brookfield incorporation petition until its appeal of a circuit court ruling is decided. The ruling dismissed the Town of Waukesha as a party to the case.
The town's attorney estimated the process could take up to nine months.
A temporary delay of a May 15 public hearing on incorporation before the state Incorporation Review Board, as requested by the Town of Brookfield, was granted earlier so interested parties could attempt mediation.
The first mediation session involving the Town of Brookfield, the cities of Waukesha and Brookfield and the village of Sussex was held May 30, and further sessions are scheduled for June 21 and 28, said Richard Czopp, Town of Brookfield administrator.
The Town of Waukesha has not participated in mediation, he said.
» Read Full ArticleLes Paul equipment, memorabilia, personal items go up for bid on Friday
Equipment, memorabilia, personal items and instruments spanning the entire career of Les Paul will be auctioned off Friday and Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif.
This collection was made available for public viewing at the Beverly Hills sales rooms of Julien's Auctions from May 29 until the start the auction, which requires prior registration. Bidding can be done online and for more information on the auction see www.juliensauctions.com.
There are four sessions to the auction. The first begins at noon Friday CST, the second is at 4 p.m. CST, while the third and fourth sessions are at the same times on Saturday.
The reason the auction is this week is because Les Paul, a Waukesha native who was buried at Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha after he died in 2009, would have turned 97 on Saturday.
All the proceeds from the auction go to the New York City-based Les Paul Foundation, a charity that encourages young people to pursue their curiosity and innovation about music, sound and engineering.
» Read Full ArticleBrookfield woman charged in Waukesha overdose death
Waukesha - A Brookfield woman was charged with first-degree reckless homicide Wednesday in connection with the drug overdose death of a 25-year-old man last year.
Jessica J. Hintz, 26, is accused of supplying the oxycodone pills that Matthew D. Dziatkiewicz took before he died in November, according to a criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court.
A warrant has been issued for Hintz's arrest.
Dziatkiewicz, of Milwaukee, was found unresponsive on the living room floor of an apartment in the 1300 block of Blackhawk Trail in Waukesha about 12:45 a.m. Nov. 5 by officers and firefighters who were sent there after a possible overdose was reported, the complaint states.
He was taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital, where he died on Nov. 11.
» Read Full ArticlePick for Waukesha administrator post backs out
Waukesha - City officials' choice for Waukesha's next city administrator has declined the offer, so it's back to the drawing board, Interim Administrator Steve Crandell said.
Four candidates were interviewed last Thursday and a selection committee of the mayor and aldermen who chair the Common Council's standing committees settled on Shawn Gillen, city administrator of Grand Rapids, Minn. Officials expected to negotiate an employment contract over the next few weeks and submit the appointment for confirmation at a special June 26 meeting.
Crandell said Wednesday that Gillen, who has been administrator of the community of just less than 12,000 since 2007, has withdrawn from consideration. The selection committee cannot reach consensus on any of the three remaining finalists, Crandell said.
The other finalists were administrators in smaller communities, too, including two from the Wisconsin communities of Sparta and Bellevue. The other finalist had unexpectedly resigned his post as Oak Park, Ill., village manager in March.
"We're working to determine the next step," Crandell said.
» Read Full ArticleEvidence links suspect to Waukesha homicide
Waukesha - The suspect being held in the shooting death last week of a Waukesha gas station clerk during a robbery was arrested after police found him with items they believe link him to the crime: the clerk's cellphone and house and car keys, a bullet shell casing similar to two found at the station, cigarettes, snack cakes and nearly $223 in cash, some of the bills bloodstained.
And after the suspect was taken into custody, a search of his Waukesha apartment turned up a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun, a box of bullets that are the same brand as the shell casings found at the station, a loaded handgun magazine and clothing that appeared to have bloodstains, according to court records.
Billy J. Ingram, 20, of Waukesha was on probation for burglary when he was arrested May 30, one day after the killing of Nayyer M. Rana, 56, at the Broadway Petro Mart, according to search warrant affidavits filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court.
Ingram has not been charged in the case but is being held in the Waukesha County Jail.
He was arrested by Brookfield and Elm Grove police, who had questioned him after they found him in the area of Blue Mound and Sunnyslope roads about 2 a.m. May 30 as they were searching for a burglary suspect.
» Read Full ArticleA big event at the Expo Center
Waukesha - Whatever happens in Tuesday's recall election, when Gov. Scott Walker speaks with his supporters, he'll likely have a nationwide audience.
There are nearly two dozen TV satellite trucks parked outside the Waukesha County Exposition Center, the site of Walker's post-election rally. TV crews have also set up interview areas outside the building.
Looking for your local polling place?
If you would like to cast a vote today in Wisconsin's election and are not sure where your local polling place is, check out the Wisconsin Voter Public Access Page.
There you will find your local polling place, a sample ballot, list of elected officials and more.
Polls are open today until 8 p.m.
Former Lutheran official sentenced to jail, not prison
Waukesha - A former Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod official was placed on probation for 10 years Monday and ordered to serve one year in jail with work-release privileges as a condition of probation for possession of child pornography.
Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Kathryn W. Foster withheld imposing a prison term on Joel W. Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, who had faced up to 15 years behind bars followed by 10 years of extended supervision for the crime.
But she warned Hochmuth that if there was any hint of him "going back to any kind of behavior like this," his probation would be revoked and the full "25-year prison sentence will be staring you in the face."
Hochmuth used the Internet to download hundreds of images of boys engaged in sexual acts with other youths and men.
Hochmuth, who was the communications director for the synod, was charged in November with three counts of possession of child pornography. He was fired by the synod one day after the charges were filed against him in Waukesha County Circuit Court.
» Read Full ArticleNOW, Lake Country state track photo gallery now online
We've just added the final images to the NOW/Lake Country Publications photo gallery from this weekend's WIAA State Track and Field Meet in La Crosse.
Photojournalists Peter Zuzga and Todd Ponath collected more than 100 images from two days of competition at the sun-splashed Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Brookfield East repeated as the boys champions in Division 1 while Riverside captured the girls title.
Candidate filings call for primaries in Waukesha County
Waukesha - Primary elections will be required to narrow the ballot choices for two Waukesha County offices - county clerk and register of deeds - after three Republicans filed nomination papers for each office by Friday's deadline.
The primary will be Aug. 14.
Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus announced in April that she would not seek another term after she came under withering criticism for election reporting missteps in recent years. The question of her competence came to a head after the spring election when County Executive Dan Vrakas, a former Republican legislator, said he'd call on her to resign - something he could not force - unless she assigned the recall election oversight to her deputy.
Vrakas said the credibility of Waukesha County elections was at stake.
While Vrakas announced Nickolaus had agreed to passing off those procedural duties, Nickolaus later said in her announcement that she maintained authority and responsibility and has since appeared to be in charge of the election duties.
» Read Full ArticleTableside guacamole at Serrano's in Waukesha
The owners of Habanero’s Mexican Kitchen on Mayfair Road in Wauwatosa have opened Serrano’s Mexican Restaurant in Waukesha.
It’s at N7-W23825 Blue Mound Road, previously the site of Louis Desert Grill.
As at Habanero’s, Serrano’s makes guacamole tableside. On the menu are dishes such as steak with bell peppers, onion and tomato ($10.99) and shrimp and scallops on rice with melted cheese and tortillas ($11.99).
The restaurant will have about 14 tables for patio seating.
It’s open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday; a lunch menu is served until 2:30 p.m. To contact: (262) 542-9700.
Waukesha names 4 administrator finalists
Waukesha - City officials have narrowed the number of finalists for city administrator to four, including two from Wisconsin and two from out of state, and spent Thursday interviewing the candidates.
All four are current municipal managers or administrators in smaller communities.
The four are:
Kenneth L. Witt, administrator of Sparta, a community of 9,590, since 2001.
Aaron Oppenheimer, village administrator of Bellevue, Wis., population 15,050, since 2007.
» Read Full Article
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