The Appellate Court  has  ruled against  Mark Benson’s motion for sentence relief.

Benson was found guilty on three counts  of homicide by intoxicated
use of a vehicle after an April 2008 crash that took the lives of Oconomowoc High School administrator Jennifer Bukosky, her 10-year-old daughter Courtney, and Bukosky's unborn child and injuring two others. In addition he  was found guilty of  one count of causing great bodily harm by intoxicated use of a vehicle, and one count of causing injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle. 

Benson appealed  his conviction related to causing the death of an unborn child, arguing that he has been unconstitutionally denied equal protection of the law. He also contending the Circuit Court erred at
sentencing by relying on inaccurate information in his expert’s report related to the amount of Ambien in his blood and its effect on his functioning capabilities at the time of the crash.

The Appellate Court  rejected all claims and affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court.

Books & Company and the Oconomowoc Public Library are hosting an author talk and book signing.

Sean Chercover, author of Trinity Game, will be at the Oconomowoc Public Library at 1 p.m.  on Friday, Aug. 17.

The book revolves around Daniel Byrne, an investigator for the Vatican's secretive Office of the Devil's Advocate, the department that scrutinizes miracle claims. Over 10 years and 721 cases, not one miracle he tested has proved true. But case number 722 is different.

 The Mukwonago Optimist Club with Prairie Fire Children's Theater presents Alice in Wonderland on Friday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. in the Mukwonago High School auditorium. Tickets are $4, available at the door.

This weekend you’ll get a chance to test drive the latest machines. These don’t have leather seats and back seat cup holders, but you probably have your own comfy chair and a place to put your beverage already.

These are the latest in sewing, embroidery and quilting machines that you can try out at the Upper Midwest Quilt Show which started Monday and runs through Saturday at Olympia Resort, 1350 Royale Mile Road in Oconomowoc.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

The show features a number of classes as well as a juried show featuring artists from all over the country vying for big cash prizes.

Vendors will be selling quilting-related items in the mall area plus there will be awards, auctions, a fashion show and a pig roast.

Daily admission is $10.

For more information call (262) 514-2000 or visit www.MQToday.com

A free outdoor summer concert will be held  on Saturday, Aug.4,  from 7 -11 p.m. at the Rhodee Memorial Bandshell, 324 W. Wisconsin Ave.,  at City Beach in Oconomowoc.

The concert features music by Flight, an Eagles tribute band.

 The six-team playoff field in the Land O' Lakes Western Division baseball league has been set. The top seed is West Bend followed in order by the Brookfield Bulldogs, Pewaukee, Menomonee Falls, Oconomowoc and Sussex.

Games will begin this Saturday as Sussex plays at Pewaukee and Oconomowoc travels to Menomonee Falls. West Bend will host the lowest remaining seed on Sunday and  the Bulldogs will host the highest remaining seed the same day.

Sussex gained the final spot Sunday by rallying for an 8-7 come-from-behind win over host Monches. The winners scored two runs in the eighth and three in the ninth.

Monches had runners on second and third when the final out was made in the bottom of the ninth.

Todd Johnson of Sussex, who had 14 hits in a row at one stretch, has won the individual batting championship. Officials averages are not yet available.

Two local police departments will participate in the National Night Out tomorrow evening. Here's a look at what is planned:

Big Bend

The Big Bend Police Department will celebrate from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at the Village Park ball diamond area. Events include: Flight for Life, magic show, self-defense demonstration, prizes for kids, raffles/silent auction, rubber duck race, Waukesha County K9 unit; food by the Lions Club; local businesses.

Mukwonago

The Village and Town of Mukwonago police departments will gather for National Night Out from 6 to 9 p.m. at Field Park. There will be many police and fire displays as well as other fun attractions for the entire family. The event is free. The event is sponsored by the Mukwonago Chamber of Commerce, the Village and Town of Mukwonago police departments, the Mukwonago Fire Department and the Mukwonago Neighborhood Watch Group.

Oconomowoc High School teacher and director of the OHS Players,Tom Klubertanz, will be performing in the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre production of the comic chestnut, "A Thousand Clowns," August 9 to 26  in the Cabot Theatre of the Broadway Theatre Center, located in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.

Klubertanz has the lead role of Murray Burns, who believes in living life fully, even if that means going to the movies instead of looking for a job. Unfortunately, his eccentric, carefree nature makes him a questionable role model while raising his 12-year-old genius nephew in New York City.

 The North Prairie Police Department will host National Night Out from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 in Veteran’s Park, 132 N. Harrison St. The department will have a variety of safety stations including: home, internet, gun, stranger danger, drug prevention, smoke free, bicycle, fire and 911. Kids can play in an inflatable bounce house, try their detective skill on a scavenger hunt and take aim at our piñata. Representatives from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department Metro Unit and North Prairie Police and Fire Departments will be on hand. Live Music performed by the Average Basement Band. A light dinner will be provided. 

 Looking for a fast, low cal recipe that kids will love? That search brought Waukesha resident Bree Schumacher the title of the Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge recently and an appearance on Fox 6 Real Milwaukee.

The challenge, a regional contest to find the next great food entrepreneur, is sponsored by Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and by Reliable Water Services a local provider of commercial water heaters, boilers and water softeners.

Schumacher took home the grand prize of $2,500 in seed money from Reliable Water Services to help start her business; a comprehensive entrepreneurial consultation package from MATC; over $500 worth of professional cookware and professional knives from Boelter Superstore and a two-hour private meeting with food industry executives serving on FaB Milwaukee’s Advisory Council.  

Read more about Schumacher and her concept Skinny Dinner Starter: Superfood Italian in the next Kettle Moraine Index.

 Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas announced plans today to create a dog exercise area at Waukesha County’s Mukwonago Park, located at W325 S9945 Beulah Road in Mukwonago. This will be the third off leash dog area within the County Park System, according to information from the Waukesha County Park System. 

The basic elements of the Mukwonago Park Dog Exercise Area will include parking, mowed grass walkways, entrance gates and signage for the Large Breed and Small Breed areas, as well as perimeter fencing and signage. The existing nearby park shelter will be incorporated into the design. A small parking area dedicated for users to access the pond with the dogs will be provided. 

Read the complete story Wednesday's Mukwonago Chief.

 Phones are back online at the Mukwonago Office. 

We apologize for any inconvenience. 

 The Mukwonago Optimist Club provides a theatrical experience for kids every summer with the help of Prairie Fire Children's Theatre. Read how the group helps kids "catch the fire" in Living Kettle Moraine Sunday. Check out photos from last week's Alice in Wonderland show here.

 The Mukwonago Community Library is holding a blood drive today until 3:30 p.m.  Please stop in if you can and donate a pint to help save someone's life.

Anyone whose family history goes back a ways in Southeastern Wisconsin is almost sure to have some German roots. German names like Schultz, Schroeder and Schneider pop up often in these parts.

A hundred years ago in the Milwaukee area, German beer gardens were popular attractions and the German language so prevalent some businesses put “English spoken here” signs in their windows.

German influence is still evident in the area in parks, architecture and cuisine. In summer, bratwurst is a tailgate favorite and you can still find Wienershnitzel at area restaurants.

If you want to enjoy all the wonderful aspects of German culture, plan a visit to Schurz Park on Moose Lake in Hartland for German American Day.

Festivities are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and include music by the River City Kapella and the Music Vendors. There will be singing, a parade, ethnic dancing and children’s games. And no German celebration would be complete without great German food such as goulash, roll braten with spaetzle, red cabbage, brats, hamburgers and cakes.

The annual event is held the second Sunday of August.

Admission is a $5 donation for the KV Keutsche Schule German School

 The Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts will light up the community Aug. 18 and 19. Plus, there's a week full of fun family activities leading up to the weekend festival. Read all about it in this week's Living Lake Country Sunday.

A judge denied a motion Aug. 9 to reduce the cash bail for the Genesee man accused of slicing his wife’s chin open in a domestic disturbance July 25.

Ronald A. Sallmann, 61, of Genesee appeared in Waukesha County Circuit Court last week wearing a red prison suit with “WCJ” emblazoned on the back. He and defense attorney Paul Bucher appeared seeking to reduce his cash bail from $100,000 to $10,000 – a request denied by the court.

Sallmann was charged July 27 with first-degree reckless injury, striking a police animal and resisting an officer after a domestic disturbance on July 27 ended in a 2-and-a-half-hour standoff with the Waukesha Sheriff’s Department Tactical Unit.

Deputies ended the standoff after releasing a canine unit and using a Taser to subdue Sallmann.

Sallmann’s wife suffered a 6- to 7-inch laceration along the bottom of her jawline nearly all the way up to her left ear, after he allegedly slashed her with a knife. The couple had been in an argument the night before about Sallmann’s use of pain medication and alcohol abuse, according to the criminal complaint, and when Sallmann’s wife returned home July 27, Sallmann was banging on the wall of his bedroom with his fists. The complaint said his wife decided she would try to pack some things and quietly sneak out of the house, because he was “in one of his moods.”

She told a deputy that she attempted to tape Sallmann on her cellphone to show him later how he was acting – a move that enraged Sallmann, who responded by taking the cellphone and throwing it. His wife fled to a bathroom and attempted to close the door, but Sallmann chased her, grabbed her hand and began bending her fingers back and striking her on the top of the head, the complaint said. She eventually got around him and ran to the bedroom where she slammed the door and used her weight to keep Sallmann out, she told police.

She later made an attempt to escape by running to the front door; brandishing a knife, Sallmann followed, and grabbed her when she reached the garage, according to the complaint. At that point, he allegedly struck her with the knife. She was able to escape after pushing him away and running to her neighbor’s house, then going to the hospital.

The Sheriff’s Department sent a canine unit to Sallmann's home at S36 W33325 Honeysuckle Drive. Deputies first arrived at the home shortly after 7:30 p.m., and Sallmann refused to leave his home. Deputies set up a perimeter around his house and called in their tactical unit. According to a news release from the Sheriff's Department, Sallmann became more and more uncooperative as time went on, and he eventually told officers he would not be leaving the house.

The criminal complaint stated that at 1:30 a.m. July 26, Sallmann was in the kitchen area, while law enforcement waited in the garage, which had an open door that led to the kitchen. The Sheriff’s Department released its canine unit, which gained control of Sallmann by the left leg and thigh. Sallmann was allegedly punching the dog in the head, but the dog would not let go. Tactical officers deployed a Taser on Sallmann as he continued to resist, and the standoff ended.

As a result, Sallmann was charged with first-degree reckless injury, striking a police animal and resisting an officer. The reckless injury charge is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of up to a $100,000 fine and 25 years in prison. The other two charges, both misdemeanors, could lead to another $20,000 in fines and up to 18 months imprisonment.
 

The Merton Community School Board set money aside to renovate the Intermediate School library next summer.

The School Board authorized $60,000 from the 2011-12 budget to be carried over in the district’s fund balance dedicated to capital improvement.

The School District is already in discussions with contractors, and they expect the project to begin next June.

“The flooring is terrible in there. There’s asbestos underneath it. The carpet is beyond its wear, and it’s time,” said Merton Superintendent Ron Russ.

“We’re really excited that we’re able to achieve that project without going to referendum or anything like that. (We are) living within our means.”

Russ said a combination of a warm winter, which reduced heating and snow plowing costs, and a hot summer, which reduced mowing costs, helped the district pinch extra pennies and set money aside for a capital expenditure.

The renovation will likely include a floor replacement, asbestos removal, and a library re-design into a 21st century learning space.
 

 Billy Bynum hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning Sunday afternoon to defeat visiting Oconomowoc in a first-round Land O' Lakes Western  Division playoff game, 12-11.

Oconomowoc had the lead in the top of the 10th, 11th and 12th before allowing West Bend to tie or win the game in each inning.

By winning, West Bend had to travel to Pewaukee at 3:15 p.m. to play host Pewaukee at 4:45 p.m. later on Sunday.

Menomonee Falls was playing against the host Brookfield Bulldogs also late on Sunday afternoon.

 The Land O' Lakes Western Division playoffs will feature Pewaukee and the Brookfield Bulldogs in the finals this coming weekend.

The Bulldogs will play at Pewaukee Saturday at 1 p.m. If Pewaukee wins, the two teams will play on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Brookfield for the right to represent the Western Division in the LOL Grand Championships. If Brookfield wins, the playoffs are over and the Bulldogs go to the finals for the second straight year.

Pewaukee defeated visiting West Bend on Sunday, 12-2. Nick Wichser and Mike Grabarczyk had three hits each for the winners and Brandon Kranz and Kurt Sarcia had two hits each.

Adam Dominick was the winning pitcher, tossing an eight-hitter. He walked one and struck out 10.

 What is your reaction to Paul Ryan being chosen as the Republican VP candidate? Did you attend the rally and what was that experience like?

Drop me a line: abudde@jcpgroup.com

Please provide your name and where you're from. 

The week following the shootings at the Oak Creek Gurdwara left King Gurinder Singh Phul, 48, of Mukwonago sleepless, waking in the night, thinking of what worshippers went through on Aug. 5 when a gunman shot down six members of the Sikh community. 

However, the message he and others in the Sikh community share is one of forgiveness and spreading understanding of the Sikh faith. 

Read King's story in the Aug. 15 Mukwonago Chief. Go here to learn more about the Sikh faith.

 Town of Lisbon - A local non binding referendum and a tight four way race for the GOP nomination in the November U.S. Senate race is apparently spurring Town of Lisbon voters to the polls in unusually high numbers for a non presidential primary election.

Town Clerk Jeff Musche said this morning it is too soon to describe the turnout as "heavy" or approaching record numbers for a partisan primary election that does not include presidential candidates.

"It is hard to say because usually this election is in September when we have more voters who are at home than in August,but we also have the referendum which is going to add to the turnout," he said.

Musche believes the turn out is on track to reach at least 55 percent.

Deputy Clerk Sandi Gettelman said she was surprised when she learned that more than 300 voters had cast ballots at the Richmond Road fire station by 10:30 a.m. and more than 300 voters had cast ballots by 11 a.m. at Town Hall.

Gettelman said the town has about 200 absentee ballots that have been cast. She said most of those voters indicated they were voting absentee because of the non binding referendum which seeks voter approval on a proposed consolidation of the town and the Village of Sussex.

However, about a half dozen voters at the three pollling places interviewed by Lake Country Publications said they were also voting because there is a close and hotly contested race among four Republicans who are seeking the party's nomination for the November general election.

The winner will face Democratic CongresswomanTammy Baldwin of Madison in a contest to see who will replace incumbent U.S. Herb Kohl, who is retiring.

 Town of Genesee poll workers are reporting lower voter turnout numbers than normal as of 2 p.m. However, they anticipate those numbers will pick up as people leave work and head to the polls.

Check back later this evening for complete election coverage. 

 The voter turnout was steady all day at the downtown Hartland voting center in the Village Hall. At 5:10 p.m. a total of 777 voters had cast ballots in the center for wards 1-6.

Voters in the Town of Mukwonago didn't have long to wait to cast their vote in today's primary.

Eric Hovde won North Prairie for U.S. Senator, beating his opponents with 167 votes. Tommy Thompson came in a close second with 156 votes followed by Jeff Fitzgerald with 79 votes and Mark Neumann with 59. Tammy Baldwin received 17 votes.

Incumbent Paul Ryan won 365 votes for Representative in Congress over Rob Zerban who received 13 votes.

Kathleen Karalewitz received the most votes for County Clerk with 133. Kathleen Novack received 126 votes and Gina Kozlik won 97 votes. Jessie Read received 16.

James Behrend won the most votes for Register of Deeds with 165. Barbara Larson-Lloyd received 81 votes while Michael Starich received 80.
 

The village had a 32% voter turnout with 484 voters.

Tommy Thompson won the top spot for U.S. Senator in Wales with 212 votes. Eric Hovde received 175 while Mark Neumann won 102 votes. 

Paul Ryan was the favorite for U.S. representative over Rob Zerban in a 457 to 30 vote. 

Chris Kapenga received 431 votes to win over Thomas Hibbard who received 31 votes for Representative to the Assembly-District 99

In a close race, Kathleen Karalewitz got the most votes for County Clerk with 171 over Kathleen Novack's 135 votes and Gina Kozlik who received 130.

James Behrend won Register of Deed in Wales with 232 votes. Michael Starich received 93 while Barbara Larson-Lloyd received 86.

The village saw a 34 percent turn out with 649 voters.

Check Thursday's Kettle Moraine Index for complete coverage.

Dousman voters favored Tommy Thompson  for U.S. Senator in Dousman, winning with 177 votes. Eric Hovde received 106 while Mark Neumann won 87 votes. Jeff Fitzgerald received 64.

Kathleen Karalewitz got the most votes for County Clerk with 142 over Kathleen Novack's 100 and Gina Kozlik who received 92. Jessie Read received 29 votes.

James Behrend won Register of Deed with 158 votes. Michael Starich received 67 while Barbara Larson-Lloyd received 81.

Check Thursday's Kettle Moraine Index for complete coverage.

 Town of Lisbon - Voters have rejected by a nearly 80 percent margin in a non binding referendum the idea of the Town of Lisbon consolidating with the Village of Sussex.

A total of 2,299 ballots (79 percent) were cast in opposition to the proposed consolidation with 596 (21 percent)  votes in favor of it.

The referendum generated a 50 percent voter turn out in the town which is as many as 20 percent points higher than the voter turn out in some other communities in Lake Country and more than twice the predicted 20 percent state wide turn out for the partisan primary election.

Eric Hovde took the most votes in the Town of Genesee with 193. Tommy Thompson came in a close second with 191 votes while Jeff Fitzgerald received 108 votes and Mark Neumann received 77.

Kathleen Karalewitz won for County Clerk with 172 votes to Kathleen Novack's 134 and Gina Kozlik's 103.

James Behrend won the most votes for Register of Deeds with 174. Michael Starich received 119  votes while Barbara Larson-Lloyd received 95.

Tommy Thompson takes another top spot in the Town of Ottawa for U.S. Senator, beating his opponents with 340  votes. Eric Hovde came in second with 258 votes followed by Jeff Fitzgerald with 177 votes and Mark Neumann with 125.

Kathleen Karalewitz received the most votes for County Clerk with 230. Kathleen Novack came in a close second with 229  votes. Gina Kozlik won 179 votes. 

James Behrend won the most votes for Register of Deeds with 354. Barbara Larson-Lloyd received 134 votes while Michael Starich received 129.
 

The town had an approximate 35 to 40 percent voter turnout with 975 voters.

 Town of Lisbon - While some town officials may have been caught by the surprise by the margin of defeat in a advisory referendum on the proposed consolidation of the town with the Village of Sussex, Supervisor Dan Fischer, who lead the opposition to the consolidation proposal, said he expected voters would rejected the idea by large numbers.

"There were very few people that I talked to who were in favor of it and most of the people who said they opposed it told me they strongly opposed it and they planned to vote. So, the margin didn't surprise me," Fischer said

Town Administrator Jeff Musche said the margin surprised him. He anticipated that the heavy voter turnout might generate a larger number of  voters in favor of the proposition which failed by a 79 percent (2,119 votes) to 21 percent (596 votes) margin.

Musche said nearly 50 percent of the town's registered voters cast ballots on the proposition.

Town Chairman Matt Gehrke said "it is unfortunate that a majority of our residents do not want to explore consolidation with Sussex and the efficiencies that this would bring. I understand the hesitation in dealing with the Village of Sussex. On a positive note, I see the election results as a clear display of Lisbon residents showing a strong sense of community and their love for the municipality they call home. I hope that a way is found for preserving this moving forward for the long term."

Plenty of fresh produce waits for shoppers at the Mukwonago Chamber of Commerce Farmers Market until 6 p.m. today in Field Park. 

Along with produce, the market also offers honey, soap, bird and squirrel feeders and even meat products for sale. 

Watch for the feature on the Mukwonago Farmers Market in the Living Kettle Moraine Sunday on Aug. 19.

The Town of Mukwonago board voted not to bill a town resident for starting a fire that burned around 20 acres of July 4. The fire was started when the man lit a smoke bomb to smoke out gophers in his yard.

Read the full story in next week's Mukwonago Chief.

 Believe it or not, we're starting to gather fall event information. If there are any local fall festivals, corn mazes, haunted houses, pumpkin farms etc. that are open to the public that you'd like to share with us, drop us a line: abudde@jrn.com

Mankind has been floating their boats for hundreds of years, mainly as a way to get from point A to point B.

But “modern man” has created much quicker ways to get around, putting boat travel in the realm of recreation rather than necessity. One thing is for sure – whatever people travel in, they want to look good, which means that boats are often things of beauty.

If you love looking at these marvelous aquatic conveyances from our past, stop by the Eighth Annual Pewaukee Antique & Classic Boat Show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Pewaukee’s Lakefront Park, north of the beach.  The event is sponsored by the Antique and Classic Boat Society, Glacier Lakes Chapter (www.glacbs.org).

More than 30 antique and classic boats will be docked at the pier for up-close viewing. You’ll also be able to see The Thor of Oslo, a beautiful 30-foot wooden cruiser build in 1958 for Harold E. Koch. It is the Featured Boat of the Show and will be arriving at 10:30 a.m.

You’ll also see a number of antique cars displayed along Wisconsin Avenue and see The Wheelmen ride their antique big wheel bicycles.

Also at the show will be the Waterfront Plein-Air Art Fair hosted by the Pewaukee Area Arts Council. Children will be able to paint their own wooden toy boy and the Wisconsin Scale Boating Association will demonstrate their models.

There will be music by A Little Bit of Heaven, an eight-member band, plus refreshments.

The day will conclude with the Presentation of Colors Honoring our Country and the Veterans Who Serve featuring the State of Wisconsin VFW Honor Guard, Army Reserves, Coast Guard, VFW and American Legion. A fly-over of vintage airplanes is planned.

 For the third time in the last five years the Brookfield Bulldogs have won the Land O' Lakes Western Division championship.

The Bulldogs won the crown Saturday afternoon by scoring a wire-to-wire 14-9 win over the host Pewaukee Muskies. Brookfield led 9-0 after three innings.

Jeff Lueck was the second of three Brookfield pitchers and grabbed the win. Pewaukee starter Eric Schmitz gave  up 12 runs in five innings.

Brookfield had 16 hits as Ernest Castro drove in four runs and Scott Booth had three RBIs.

Nick Wichser and Brandon Kranz had two hits each for Pewaukee and Kurt Sarcia and Brandon Werner drove in two runs apiece.

 A bridge deck pour is ongoing on the Edgewood Bridge. The work will require that the median and one lane of traffic remain closed for a 24 hour period. There will be message boards up alerting motorists that the lane will be closed.

This work will occur on the other bridges between Highway 164 and Highway 83. The times and dates are condition dependent. It is expected that five more similar closures will take place prior to the completion of the project.

As always, please drive carefully and stay alert in the construction zone.

Another Heirloom Garden Stroll is scheduled at Old World Wisconsin on Thursday, Aug. 23 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., this time an evening stroll through the Schulz and Koepsell Gardens. Cost of the tour is $20 per person.

Each tour concludes with refreshments featuring flavors from the homelands of the gardens visited; evening strolls include refreshments in the garden toured, plus a cash bar. 

Reservations are required and available online or at (262) 594-6301. Reservations for a garden stroll include a single-use, half-price museum admission voucher, valid for the 2012 season.

The stroll will be led by the site's expert historical gardener, Marcia Carmichael.  In addition to researching, organizing and leading management of the site's 12 heirloom gardens, Carmichael is also the award-winning author of "Putting Down Roots:  Gardening Insights from Wisconsin's Early Settlers," which was published in 2011 by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press and features the gardens of Old World Wisconsin.  Copies of "Putting Down Roots" will be available at the museum store, and Ms. Carmichael will be available to sign books after each tour.

There is still time to get tickets to the Mukwonago YMCA Benefit Dinner and Unveiling event on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Mukwonago YMCA on Wolf Run.

Costs of tickets are $50 per person or $95 per couple and can be purchased by calling the Waukesha YMCA at (262) 542-2557 or online here.  Attire is business casual.

Live music, hors d'oeuvres, and refreshments are available as guests tour the facility.

Corporate sponsor packages are available.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.ymcacwc.org or by calling (262) 542-2557. 

 Yes, it's only August but we're hard at work compiling a list of fall and Halloween activities from around the Lake Country area!

If there is a community event you want to make sure gets on the list, please email me: abudde@jrn.com

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute will host its eighth annual Summer Harvest Festival from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the institute, W2493 Highway ES (Main Street and Townline Road). 

The day will offer a local farmers market with a variety of items and farm products, live music by Brew City Drifters and Adam Helwin, feature exhibit of Paul Thoresen’s “Cows: A Closer Look” photo series (30-percent of sales will benefit MFAI); an intern-led “Stella Garden” tours, hayride field tours, sweet corn and watermelon picking, sustainability demonstration and presentations of the work MFAI shares, children activities and a square dance from 6 to 8 p.m. in the white barn featuring the Limber Timber Square Dancers of Elkhorn. 

 The event is free and will be held rain or shine. 

The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating a number of residential burglaries in the Town of Ottawa and Town Eagle, according to a news release from the department. The most recent have been on Waterville Road.  Most of these have occurred by the suspects entering through unlocked doors during the overnight hours. There have also been some burglaries where screens were cut.

The Sheriff's Department is asking all residents to be alert and to call the department if they notice anything suspicious in their neighborhoods.  We are also reminding all residents to be vigilant about securing their residences, especially in the evening hours. 

If anyone has information about these incidents please contact the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department at (262) 548-7122.

Anyone who has been to Chicago has probably seen the city’s well-known “L” transit system, snaking its way above the city.

If the “L” has always intrigued you, or if you’re a fan of trains in general, plan to visit Chicago Days, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, at the East Troy Electric Railroad, 2002 Church St., East Troy.

Chicago Days celebrates Chicago’s railway history, featuring a collection of rapid transit cars that whisked people around Chicago and its suburbs. You’ll see the 4000-series cars of the pre-1970 “L,” which have old-time light fixtures, walkover leatherette seats and “bowling alley” seating at the ends.

The historic Pullman-built cars of the famed Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad will also be running the rails during the weekend, ferrying passengers from the railroad’s historic depot and museum to the old-style terminal at the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago.

Tours of the car barn, housing restored coaches and cars undergoing restoration, will also be featured during Chicago Days.

Admission, which includes all special events and unlimited rides, is $12.50 for adults, $10.50 for seniors, $8 for children 3 to 11. Children under 3 are free.

For more information, visit www.easttroyrr.org.

 The Mukwonago Education Foundation will hold its seventh annual fundraising dinner and auction at The Broadlands Golf Club on Sept. 23.

For more information on the foundation and the work it does in local schools, check out Carol Spaeth-Bauer's feature in this week's Living Kettle Moraine Sunday.

Information is coming across the Waukesha County Police and Fire scanner that indicates shots have been fired and a suspect is down in the area of Marsh Road and Highway J near the Village of Mukwonago. 

A local law enforcement official stated that preliminary reports indicate that a person robbed a People's Bank-location unclear-and made their way from Walworth County into Mukwonago where shots were fired. 

Again, reports are preliminary. 

Updates as more information becomes available.

More information is coming in about the suspect who was reportedly shot by police near Mukwonago just a short while ago. 

It appears that several police agencies were pursuing a robbery suspect when the suspect crashed on Beulah Road near Marsh Road. 

We're being told the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department will handle the crash investigation; the Walworth County Sheriff's Department the robbery. 

Information will be shared as it becomes available. 

Waukesha and Walworth counties' sheriff's offices investigated the accident resulting from a crash after a robbery suspect raced down Beulah Road near Mukwonago, according to preliminary reports. Mukwonago Fire Chief Jeff Stein reported that the suspect was transported to Waukesha Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound to the arm. 

The Mukwonago Chief will report further information as it becomes available. Watch for the complete story in the next Mukwonago Chief.

For years, the biggest hurdle standing in the path between Lake Country Lutheran and succeeding on the highest level of small-school football in Wisconsin has been Burlington Catholic Central, a perennial power in the Midwest Classic.

Not tonight.

Though now a member of the Metro Classic, the Hilltoppers still figure to be in the mix when the Division 7 playoffs roll around. But on Friday, LCL defeated BCC for the first time in school history, 21-20.

Quarterback Jacob Simons threw for a touchdown to Jacob Demman and ran for two others, including one touchdown run that broke a 14-14 tie in the final moments of the third quarter. The Hilltoppers scored with 5:31 to play in the game, but an extra point was no good, accounting for the difference in the game.

Ben Wilkins kicked the extra point that accounted for the winning point.

Pewaukee 27, Greenfield 0: In the first game for new coach Justin Friske, Pewaukee coasted to a road victory over Greenfield.

Pink-shirted motorcyclists lead the procession of pink fire trucks for the Pink Heals tour as it heads from Mukwonago to Delafield on Monday.  The Cares Enough to Wear Pink and Pink Heals Movement supports women of the country and anything that may harm them. 

To learn more about the program check here.