Mukwonago Chief, Kettle Moraine Living Sunday word search a bit off

4:02 p.m. |  It has been brought to Mukwonago Publications attention that their monthly word search contains a few errors. The words are not aligned correctly in the search, and the word "free throw" is missing the "t." 

Word searches will be accepted despite the errors. 

If anyone wishes to be sent a correctly aligned copy, please email mukpubs@jrn.com. 

We apologize for any inconvenience. 

Bad weather on the way

2:15 p.m. | The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow.

Snow is expected to move in by mid-morning and wind down by evening. Snow accumulations of 3-6 inches are expected, though as much as 8 inches could fall in some places.

The snow may be heavy at times, resulting in low visibility and slick, snow-covered roads. The heavy snow may linger into the evening rush hour.

KMHS cheer team heads to state contest on Saturday

12:06 p.m. | The Kettle Moraine High School Varsity Blue Competition Team heads to the Wisconsin Association of Cheer/Pom Coaches (WACPC) State High School Cheer Championships this Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. 

The Varsity Blue Competition Team competed at the WACPC Southern Regional Competition at South Milwaukee High School on Feb. 18.  All teams must qualify at the Northern or Southern Regional to compete at the WACPC State High School Cheer Championships. The team earned an outstanding second place finish in the Cheer-Dance category, allowing them to advance to the State Cheer Championships.

Please check www.wacpc.com for more information. 

Win your own Little Free Library!

11:13 a.m. |  There's only a couple more weeks left before Lake Country Publications will pick a winner for their Win a Little Free Library contest! 

Little Free Libraries are wooden boxes that people can place in and around town with the purpose of encouraging people to grab a wonderful book to read. The library is replenished by donations. The best part is, it's all free!

Individuals, groups, and organizations are invited to write an essay of 300 words or less telling us why you should win a Little Free Library. Remember, be creative. The contest is open to people of all ages.

Send entries to 111 N. Rochester St. Suite 3 Mukwonago, WI 53149 or emailed to abudde@jcpgroup.com. 

Deadline is March 7.

Updated vote totals for muni judge race

10:52 a.m. | Updated vote totals in the Lake Country Municipal Court race show that each of the three candidates picked up a few votes from communities outside Waukesha County. Those figures were not available at the time we reported results last night.

The new numbers do not change the outcome of the election.

Tim Kay came out on top with 2,109 votes. Peter Wolff was second with 1,170. The two will advance to the general election in April.

Dan Fay garnered 939 votes.

Craig, Nowicki to vie for Town of Vernon Supervisor #3 seat

7:57 a.m. |  Jane Craig and Dave Nowicki beat Jesse Smith in the Town of Vernon's primary election today, and will now vie for the Supervisor #3 seat during the general election. 

Nowicki took the lead with 498 votes. Craig won over Smith 384 votes to 157. Just over 19% of the town's residents made it to the polls today. 

With new voting laws making their way into the polls during this primary election, Town Clerk Marie Kumershek reports that everything went smoothly today. 

"People were great with showing their photo ID," Kumershek said.  "We had no provisionals, everyone brought there identification with them.  I am excited it went as well as it did." 

Nowicki stated that "I want to thank all of the people who voted for me, and the job is not done. If the people want to vote for a conflict of interest, vote for Jane Craig. If they want to vote for Vernon and low taxes, vote for Dave Nowicki." 

Hart-Lake referendum defeated

Feb. 21, 2012 10:56 p.m. | Voters in the Hartland-Lakeside District rejected a referendum that asked district taxpayers for $930,000 in additional revenue limit authority annually.

The final vote tally - 725 "No" votes, and 637 "Yes" votes, means the district will be forced to find other alternatives to remedy the School District's budget issues.

More than 53 percent of district voters cast their ballots against the measure, while just shy of 47 percent voted in favor of it.

Stay tuned to Lake Country Publications newspapers for reactions and analysis.

Kay winner in judicial contest

Feb. 21, 2012 10:56 p.m. | It appears likely that attorneys Timothy Kay of Conomowoc and Peter Wolff of the Town of Delafield will face off in the April 3 municipal election for judge in the Lake Country Municipal Court.

Kay gained the highest number of votes in Tuesday nights three candidate primary contest with 2,028, or about 49 percent of the 4,330 votes cast in the Waukesha County communities served by the court.

Wolff appears to have finished second with 1,105 votes and Daniel Fay finished third with 892.

However, the vote totals include only the 14 communities that the court serves in Waukesha County. The totals do not include votes cast in the Town of Ixonia and the Village of Sullivan in Jefferson County and the Town of Erin in Washington.

KM hockey team rolls over Janesville

Feb. 21, 2012 10:45 p.m. |  The Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago/Oconomowoc varsity boys hockey team led from start to finish Tuesday night as they scored a lopsided 7-1 victory over visiting Janesville Craig/Parker (14-11-1) in a WIAA sectional first-round game at the Naga-Waukee Ice Arena.

The victory vaults the Lasers into the sectional championship game on Saturday against Marquette at Wilson Park at 4 p.m. KM is now 22-3-1 on the season. The winner on Saturday advances to the WIAA state meet next week.

KM has played in two sectional championships previously and won them both, those victories coming  in 2006 and 2007.

KM led 2-0 after one period and never looked back. The Lasers broke the game open by scoring four goals in the final 7:28 of the game.

Mitch Ellena and Justin Yute scored two goals each for the Lasers. Michael Del Vecchio, Connor Moran and Sam Hart had solo goals.

Mukwonago Chamber excited about band shell project

Feb. 21, 2012 10:41 p.m. |  Mukwonago Area Chamber of Commerce gets a nod from the Village Board tonight to proceed with plans for a band shell at Indianhead Park using funds in a gazebo fund as seed money. Read more about the agreement struck between the Village and the Chamber in the Feb. 29 Living Mukwonago Chief.

Board approves last phase of WAN-Wireless project

Feb. 21, 2012 9:46 p.m. | The Oconomowoc Area School Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a contract in the amount of $495,646 for construction of a disrict fiber optic wide area network.

This is the final stage of a three phase project that included tech closet upgrades and wireless infrastructure. The entire project has a total cost of $1,462,190, coming in nearly $78,000 under budget.

First Hart-Lake results trickling in

Feb. 21, 2012 8:38 p.m. | The Village of Hartland reports that residents cast 434 "No" votes compared to 431 "Yes" votes for the Hartland-Lakeside referendum - a slim 3-vote margin.

The referendum asked voters to approve $930,000 in additional revenue limit authority for the School District.

The Town of Delafield and the Town of Merton are yet to report their results.

No primary in Johnson Creek

Feb. 21, 2012 4:46 p.m. | Staff members at the Johnson Creek Village Hall have fielded numerous calls today about voting in a primary election.

Although some communities do have primaries today, there are no primaries for Johnson Creek voters.

Voting for local races and the presidential preference primary will take place Tuesday, April 3.

Waukesha County panel endorses pay raises

Feb. 21, 2012 3:38 p.m. | Waukesha - The Waukesha County Board's Personnel Committee unanimously endorsed pay raises Tuesday ranging from 1.5% to 2% for two former union groups and three elected officials.

The County Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday to consider the measures.

Pay raises of 1.5% in each of the next four years, beginning in 2013, were recommended for the county clerk, register of deeds and treasurer. Beginning April 15, when prospective candidates for those offices can begin circulating nomination papers for the fall election, no action on pay raises can be taken during the course of their four-year terms.

If approved, the pay in 2013 would start at $70,180 for the county clerk and treasurer and $71,125 for the register of deeds and would increase to $73,384 and $74,372, respectively, by 2016.

The committee also recommended pay raises in 2012 of 2% for about 425 clerical, paraprofessional, maintenance and sanitarian workers previously represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. In addition, raises of 1.6% retroactive for 2011 and 2% for 2012 were recommended for about 160 corrections officers and dispatch center employees. The unions have been decertified in the wake of last year's state law changes that eliminated most collective bargaining for most public employees.

Smooth voting process in Hartland

Feb. 21, 2012 2:29 p.m. | Things are moving smoothly at the Village of Hartland polling station as voters cast their ballots in the Hartland-Lakeside referendum and Lake Country Municipal Court primary.

There were no delays, as voters arrived and left within minutes.

Stay tuned to Lake Country Watch for more updates.

Election results to be posted online tonight

Feb. 21, 2012 1:57 p.m. | Don't forget to click back on livinglakecountry.com tonight for primary election results. 

Primary election results will be posted for the Town of Vernon, Lake Country Municipal Court judge and Hartland-Lakeside School District referendum.

Poles close at 8 p.m. so results will be online as soon as they're counted. 

In the mean time, don't forget to vote. 

Man moves into flat, dies hours later

Feb. 21, 2012 12:43 p.m. |

Village of Pewaukee – Police announced today they are investigating the death of a 25-year-old man who moved into an apartment but then died of an apparent drug overdose just hours later.

Mark Hoese was found dead in an apartment Feb. 13 at about 7:30 p.m. Hoese had moved into the apartment that day from Marshfield. Police said evidence was removed from the residence that suggested narcotics use and drug paraphernalia was also recovered. There were no signs of foul play, police said.

An autopsy was conducted but authorities are awaiting the results of toxicology tests.

It's a snowy, slippery election day

Feb. 21, 2012 7:35 a.m. | Primary election day is getting off to a slippery start this morning, as light snow has caused slick driving conditions. A handful of accidents have been reported, two of them serious enough to shut down roads for a time: Highway 83 was closed in both directions at Nagawicka in Delafield because of an accident, and a rollover accident on Valley Road near Silver Lake shut down that road for a time this morning.

The polls are now open and will remain so until 8 p.m. There are three primaries in the area:

Lake Country Municipal judge, where Tim Kay, Dan Fay and Peter Wolff will face off to narrow the field for the general election in April;

Hartland-Lakeside School District referendum, which seeks an additional $930,000 in operating expenses;

and in Vernon, where voters will narrow the field of three to two. Jesse Smith, Jane Craig and Dave Nowicki are squaring off.

Slippery conditions in the Lake Country

Feb. 21, 2012 7:03 a.m. |  A very wet snow that started falling in the Lake Country area  around 4:30 a.m. made for some slippery and slow going on Tuesday morning.

Highway 16 eastbound from Hartland to the I-94 interchange was slow moving with traffic going about 30 to 35 miles per hour at best. One car was in the ditch westbound on HIghway 16 just east of Jungluth Road. That car went into the ditch at 6:45 am.

 Golf Road between Highways T and G was snow covered and very slippery.

Valley Road, south of Oconomowoc, was closed around 6:30 a.m.  A police car was in the middle of the road at Highway Z not allowing cars to drive on Valley Road as of 7 a.m. 

Delafield face possible $150,000 to $200,000 annual revenue loss

Feb. 20, 2012 8:44 p.m. | CITY OF DELAFIELD - City government could lose $150,000 to $200,000 a year if the State Legislature adopts a proposal to increase the share of hotel tax revenues devoted to local tourism promotion, City Administrator Tim Schuenke warned tonight.

Schuenke told the Common Council at its Monday, February 20, meeting that the legislative proposal would require all municipalities to allocate 70 percent of their hotel tax revenues to promote tourism with the remaining 30 percent contributed to the general revenue fund of the municipality.

Schuenke explained the existing hotel tax revenue allocation is Delafield is almost oppose of what would is required in the legislative proposal.

Since 1997, 75 percent of the estimated $350,000 to $400,000 in annual hotel tax revenues has gone into the city's general operating fund and 25 percent was donated to the local tourism council, according to Mayor Ed McAleer

Schuenke said the legislative proposal "will have a devastating effect on us" if it is adopted.

Ixonia parents upset with plan for 4th graders

Feb. 20, 2012 6:14 p.m. | Parents of Ixonia School students are expected to present a petition to the Superintendent opposing the district's plan to move the school's fourth grade students to Nature Hill Intermediate Sxhool next year.

The district has experienced 25 percent growth in enrollment in the last decade, leaving the elementary schools at or near capacity. According to a letter sent to parents, Ixonia has maximized every instructional space and will need to add two additional spaces. District officials considered all options and concluded this move was best for all students, according to a letter sent tp parents.

There is a meeting scheduled at Ixonia School Thursday evening on the issue to answer questions and share additional details, but it is expected that some Ixonia parents may also attend the School Board meeting Tuesday night. Opponents say that between between Friday when they were informed of the decision,  and this morning, they have collected 150 signatures from people against the idea. Parents have voiced disappointment that they were not asked for input into the decision.

For more on this story, read the Thursday edition of the Oconomowoc Focus.

Charlie Brown coming to MHS stage on Friday

Feb. 20, 2012 4:00 p.m. |

The Mukwonago High School 2012 musical, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” opens Feb. 24 in the MHS auditorium. The production will run Feb. 24, 25; March 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 26 and March 3 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices are adults- $10 ($11 at the door), seniors- $9 ($10 at the door) and students and children- $7 ($8 at the door). New this year is the Family Four Pack with two adult tickets and two student or children tickets for $30 ($34 at the door).

Advance sale tickets may be picked up at the performance at “Will Call.”

Tickets can be purchased by contacting Mary Coughlin at (262) 613-2048 or mhs.charlie.brown@gmail.com. 

Remember to vote tomorrow

Feb. 20, 2012 2:21 p.m. | Two races are set for tomorrow's primary elections in the Lake Country area.

Voters in the Hartland-Lakeside School District face a $930,000 referendum question. The School District is seeking additional operating revenue in hopes of maintaining its current level of academic programming and class sizes. The District says it would be forced to cut programs and services should the referendum fail. Read more on this issue here.

Meanwhile, voters will also cast ballots to determine which two candidates for Lake Country Municipal judge will face off in the April 3 municipal election.

Candidates are Peter M. Wolff, 43, of the Town of Delafiel, Daniel P. Fay, 60, of the Town of Merton, and Timothy T. Kay, 52, of Oconomowoc.

Voters from the following communities can cast votes in that primary: Town and Village of Merton, Town and City of Oconomowoc, the Towns of Delafield, Lisbon, Ixonia, and Erin, and the Villages of Chenequa, Dousman, Hartland, Lac La Belle, Nashotah, Oconomowoc Lake, Summit, Sullivan, and Sussex.

Dairy Queen in Mukwonago donates portion of sales to food pantry

Feb. 20, 2012 10:17 a.m. |  Beginning tomorrow, the Mukwonago Dairy Queen, 215 Bay View Rd., will be donating 10 percent of its sales between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to the Mukwonago Food Pantry. 

The money will be used by the Food Pantry towards purchasing backpacks and school supplies for area kids. 

Dairy Queen will be holding the promotion again on March 20 and April 17. 

Submit questions for KMSD candidate forum

Feb. 20, 2012 9:55 a.m. | Kettle Moraine School District will hold a school board candidate forum on Tuesday, March 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kettle Moraine High School media center moderated by Kim Haines.

Six candidates will compete to fill three seats, beginning a three-year term on April 23. Candidates Colin Butler, Kathy Kapsy, Amy Lange, Terri Phillips, Chad Taylor and Bernie Ziebart will share opening statements, followed by a Q & A that incorporates questions submitted in advance by community members, as well as questions provided from audience members.

To submit questions or topics of interest, please send your request to Kim Haines at kkhaines@wi.rr.com or Sarah Spencer at sarahespencer@me.com.

Elections will be held on Tuesday, April 3 with three member positions to be filled. For more details about board of education elections, please visit the Government Accountability Board website at: www.gab.wi.gov. 

Three KMHS alumni to be inducted to Laser Trailblazer Hall of Fame

Feb. 20, 2012 9:48 a.m. | Kettle Moraine School District, Superintendent Patricia Deklotz invites the community to the 2012 Laser Trailblazer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, March 9 at 9:15 a.m.in the Kettle Moraine High School West Gym.

Three individuals will be honored for outstanding contributions to their profession and community:   Dr. Elizabeth (Whitmore) Giese – class of 1993, Tanya (Egeness) Schmid – class of 1981, and Mary (Claffey) Walgren – class of 1988.  

Two killed in Ixonia crash

Feb. 20, 2012 8:28 a.m. | Two fatalities were reported in a car crash that took place Sunday at 5:35 p.m. in the Town of Ixonia.

A vehicle, occupied by four adults from the Hartford and West Bend areas, failed to yield right of way to traffic at the Highway 16/North Street intersection.  An oncoming  westbound pickup truck driven by Gavin Strey of Ixonia was unable to stop in time, striking the vehicle in the passenger center post. Strey as treated and released from Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital (OMH), His passenger was not injured.

Two of the occupants of the Buick were taken by emergency medical helicopter to Froedert Hospital and remain in serious condition. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene; the other was taken to OMH and was later pronounced dead. Names are being withheld pending family notifications.

Kids can earn free ticket to Disney on Ice

Feb. 20, 2012 8:20 a.m. | There is an exciting, limited-time-only reading program taking place at the Oconomowoc Public Library. Kids can earn a free ticket to the Thursday, March 1 performance of "Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove" at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee! To participate, just pick up a flyer/reading record at the library, read five books, and then bring your flyer to the library to pick up your free pass! 

All passes must be exchanged for a ticket in person at the Milwaukee Theatre Box Office. Disney on Ice recommends redeeming your pass as soon as possible for best seats. This program is for kids of all ages.

For more details, please call Betsy at (262) 569-2193, ext. 210 or stop in the library.

Prodoehl wins, AHS swimmers second

Feb. 19, 2012 5:02 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys swim team finished second Satruday at the WIAA Division 1 state meet at the UW Natatorium in Madison. Memorial won the team crown with 326 points and the Warhawks were second at 234. Eau Claire Memorial/North was a distant third with 184 points.

Senior Jake Prodoehl led the Warhawks by winning the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46.23. He defeated Jake Lotte of Appleton who was clocked at 46.35. It was the first state title for Prodoehl.

The Warhawks had finished fourth in the team scoring the last three years.

Arrowhead's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Prodoehl, Kyle Wenger, Jake Barry and John Warren broke the former state record (1:25.73)  with a time of 1:25.59,  but had to setle for second place behind Memorial.

Delsman wins pro golf title

Feb. 19, 2012 4:56 p.m. |  Charlie Delsman of Hartland, 26, won his first Florida mini-tour tournament championship Sunday afternoon by winning the Lakewood Ranch Open in Sarasota. The tournament came on the West Florida Golf Tour.

Delsman shot two rounds of 4-under-par 68 to win the title by one  shot over Vince India. The final round was played  in winds of up to 40 miles per hour. Only four golfers on Sunday broke 70.

Delsman trailed by four shots going into Sunday's final round.

He earned $3,000 for his efforts.

Arrowhead girls stop West on OT

Feb. 17, 2012 11:03 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity girls basketball team needed overtime Friday night to defeat host Waukesha West in a Classic 8 Conference game, 55-49. 

AHS rallied from a 9-point deficit after three quarters to send the game to OT. In the extra session, the Warhawks outscored West, 8-2.

Arrowhead moved to 15-3 on the season and 11-1 in league play. AHS and Milwaukee Pius are tied for first place with two league games left.

Kelly Smith and Kyle Davis had 15 points each to lead the winners. Amanda Bauer had 11 tallies.

Pewaukee girls win again

Feb. 17, 2012 10:44 p.m. |  Pewaukee's varsity girls basketball team defeated visiting Shorewood Friday night in a Woodland Conference game, 48-25. The win improved the PHS record to 16-4 overall and 14-2 in league play. The Pirates lead New Berlin West by one game in the conference standings.

PHS trailed Shorewood at halftime, 16-15, before rallying in the second half. The Pirates held the Greyhounds to nine second half points.

Jordyn Swan led the winners with 14 points. Brittany Groer had 9 tallies and Natalie Wood and Danielle Jasinski had 8 each. Emily Wirth grabbed a team-best 9 rebounds.

10 in a row for PHS boys

Feb. 17, 2012 10:28 p.m. |  Pewaukee's varsity boys basketball team won its 10th straight game Friday night as they defaeted host Shorewood in a Woodland Conference game, 57-50.

By winning, Pewaukee and Thomas More, both 14-3 in league play, will battle for the conference championship Tuesday night at PHS in a winner-take-all game.

Against Shorewood, the Pirates (16-5 overall) put four players in double figures. Kray Bradley was tops with 17 points followed by Ben Steker, Austin Hansen and Jordan Daul with 10 points each.

AHS boys defeat Waukesha West

Feb. 17, 2012 9:24 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys basketball team played its best game of the season Friday night as they whipped visiting Waukesha West in a Classic 8 Conference game, 65-51. The win was the fifth in a row for the Warhawks.

AHS scored the last 13 points of the first period and took a 19-7 lead after the opening quarter. Arrowhead led 33-19 at halftime and slowly pulled away in the second half. Arrowhead's biggest lead in the second half was 27 points (59-32).

Kenny Finco had 14 points to lead the Warhawks (12-9, 9-4). He scored 9 of those in a span of 59 seconds in the third period.

DJ Escamilla added 12 points  for the winners and Ryan Saeger had 10. 

Eric Solberg had 19 points for West. The Wolverines fell to 12-9 overall and 7-6 in league play.

Snow hurts visibility

Feb. 17, 2012 11:55 a.m. |  An unexpected burst of heavy snow caused visibility to be less than one-quarter mile around 11:20 a.m. Friday morning.

On Highway 16, both east and westbound on Highway 16 from WCTC in Pewaukee to Oconomowoc, visibility was less than  one-quarter mile at times.

Travel speeds were normal as the snow melted as it hit the road. Highway 16 was wet, but no slippery.

Wings lose hockey game

Feb. 17, 2012 9:22 a.m. |  The Waukesha/Pewaukee combined varsity boys hockey team lost in the WIAA regional championship game Thursday night to visiting Stoughton at the Naga-Waukee Ice Arena, 2-1. The loss ended the Wings season with a 13-11 record.

Alex Runge had the lone goal for the Wings. Joey Horan had one assist.

Zed Dietrich of the Wings, the second-leading scorer in the state, was held scoreless.

KM hockey team plays Friday night

Feb. 17, 2012 9:19 a.m. |  The Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago/Oconomowoc varsity boys hockey team will host Beloit Memorial Friday at the Naga-Waukee Ice Arena at 7 p.m. in a WIAA regional championship game. The Lasers are seeded first in the sectional.

The winner of Friday's game will play Tuesday, Feb. 21 against Janesville Craig/Parker. The site of that game has not yet been determined. Game time is 7 p.m.

AHS boys hockey team eliminated

Feb. 17, 2012 9:16 a.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys hockey team had its 2011-12 season come to a close Thursday night as they lost to host St. Mary's Springs at the Blue Line Center in Fond du Lac. The loss came in the WIAA regional championship game.

AHS, seeded sixth,  ended the year with a 12-11-2 record. St. Mary'sm seeded third,  will go into the sectional with a 17-5-1 mark.

The Ledgers scored one goal in each of the three periods and Arrowhead scored once in the  first period and once in the third period. Jared Johnson and Garrett Opay scored goals for the Warhawks. Opay, Sam Schultz and Sam Dvorak had assists for AHS.

Big Bend Police investigate after elderly woman found injured in basement

Feb. 17, 2012 8:22 a.m. |  The Big Bend Police Department is investigating after an 84 year old woman was found in her basement near the bottom of the stairs around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. The woman was transported to hospital with undetermined injuries where she still remains at this time. 

Several items were found thrown about in the basement when police arrived, however it is unclear if the cause was an intruder, foul play, or if it occurred during the woman's medical condition. 

Big Bend Police Chief Mike Hartert stated that a medical condition was likely the cause of the woman's fall, but aren't ready to rule out foul play at this time. 

Authorities were alerted to the situation by a concerned neighbor who called police. It is unclear how long the woman sat injured before police were called. 

Chief Hartert said that evidence will be taken to the crime lab today. 

Man rescued from icy waters

Feb. 17, 2012 7:56 a.m. | A fisherman on a Hartland-area lake had a close call Thursday when he fell through the ice. Rescue crews were able to pull him from the water. Read more and see video here.

Mullett Ice Center joins Hockey Weekend Across America

Feb. 17, 2012 12:00 a.m. |  Winter seems to have forgotten about us this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be thinking about winter sports. Kids, especially, love all the fun they can have on ice and snow.

Even though there’s not much ice outside, there’s plenty inside at the Mullett Ice Center in Hartland. And this Saturday at 11 a.m., boys and girls, ages 4 to 9, will be able to learn how to play hockey on that ice at the Try Hockey for Free clinic. Kids will learn the basics of the sport in a fun, safe environment.

The Mullett Ice Center is located at 700 W. North Shore Dr.,  Hartland.

To register children for the Try Hockey for Free clinic call John Wardman at (262) 369-3601 or visit www.TryHockeyForFree.com.

The event is part of the fourth annual Hockey Weekend Across America, presented by Reebok, Feb. 17-19. For more information visit www.hockeyweekendacrossamerica.com.

Audit cites weaknesses in Waukesha County clerk operations

Feb. 16, 2012 4:42 p.m. | Waukesha - A number of weaknesses were found in Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus' office operations, according to a newly released audit report, including the failure to return about $27,000 in dog license fees owed municipalities that has accumulated over several years.

In response to the audit, Nickolaus said she's already instituted a number of recommended changes.

The county's internal audit manager, Lori Schubert, and Nickolaus will discuss the findings at the County Board's Executive Committee meeting at 9 a.m. Monday.

None of the nine recommendations contained in the audit report was ranked as most critical in importance, but nearly all were described as having a significant impact on efficiency and effectiveness.

The audit did not examine most of Nickolaus' election systems and duties, which were audited in the fall of 2010. In April, Nickolaus' failure to count 14,000 votes from Brookfield in unofficial election night returns - or to tell the public about it for nearly two days - temporarily tipped the apparent Supreme Court election outcome and led to a costly and time-consuming statewide recount.

Divers called off search in Mukwonago

Feb. 16, 2012 4:25 p.m. |

Divers climb onto the ice after determining that no one was in an ice shanty that sunk through the ice on Phantom Lake near Phantom Woods Road, Mukwonago earlier this afternoon. Police were able to contact the owner of the shanty to confirm that no one had been fishing in the shanty at the time.

Linden Ridge Mukwonago hosts annual pancake race tomorrow

Feb. 16, 2012 4:00 p.m. |  On your mark...get set....don't drop that pancake!

Liden Ridge Mukwonago campus will be holding their annual pancake race tomorrow beginning at 2 p.m. 

Cheer on residents as they attempt to balance a pancake on a spatula all while donning a chefs hat and an apron. Did we mention all this will be happening while they try to be the fastest to be pushed around the track?

Linden Ridge is located at 841 Highway NN in Mukwonago. 

Sunken shanty on Phantom Lake found empty

Feb. 16, 2012 2:30 p.m. |  Divers were called out of the water on Phantom Lake around 2:15 p.m. after they deteremined no one was inside when it fell through the ice earlier this afternoon. 

A passerby had called police around 1:15 p.m. indicating that the shanty was in the water, and that they had had seen people near the site earlier today. Police spoke with the shanty's owner who stated no one had been using it. 

Shanty falls through ice on Phantom Lake

Feb. 16, 2012 2:07 p.m. |  A rescue diver is suiting up at Phantom Lake where an ice shanty has fallen through the water this afternoon.

According to the county's fire scanner, contact has been made with the shanty's owner who reported no one was inside of it today. However, a caller who initially reported the sunken shanty to police indicated they saw someone near the stop earlier. Police are in the process of calling that witness to confirm if a person had been on scene earlier today or not. 

Eagle, Tess Corners and Mukwonago rescue crews are currently at the scene. 

Dive team called after ice shanty falls through Phantom Lake, Mukwonago

Feb. 16, 2012 1:46 p.m. | Rescue crews are still trying to determine if anyone was inside of an ice shanty that has fallen through Phantom Lake in Mukwonago near Phantom Woods Road. 

According to information coming through on the Waukesha County Fire scanner, a diver and  other rescue crews are on scene. 

Preliminary reports suggest that the shanty appeared to be occupied about an hour ago. A few feet of the shanty's roof is reported as sticking out of the water at this time.

No word is available on the condition of those using the shanty.

More information will be posted as it becomes available. 

Waukesha woman accused of whipping, choking child

Feb. 16, 2012 11:20 a.m. | Waukesha – A special education aide at a Waukesha elementary school was charged Wednesday with abusing a child, allegedly by whipping a boy with a cord, choking him and punching him, according to a criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court.

Sharon Walker, 40, was charged with felony counts of physical abuse of a child and child abandonment.

According to the criminal complaint, a 14-year-old boy told police on Nov. 10, 2011, that Walker, his guardian, had "whipped him with cords, choked him, punched him, thrown him down the stairs, hit him with poles," the complaint said. The boy also alleged that Walker threatened "to stab him and the rest of his family with a knife," the complaint.

The boy said the last time he was hit by a cord was when he was about 12 or 13 years old. The boy told police that on Oct. 23, 2011, he was outside Walker’s residence and tried to hit him but missed and then tried to hit him again, scratching his nose and causing it to bleed, the complaint said. The boy grabbed Walker’s wrists, and Walker then allegedly bit his arm, the complaint said.

A physical exam conducted at the C.A.R.E. Center showed a scar to the side of the boy’s nose as well as several "linear and curvilinear scars" on his body, the complaint said. The scars are consistent with getting hit by a belt or a cord, the complaint said.

Pewaukee cage teams win

Feb. 16, 2012 10:49 a.m. |  Pewaukee's two varsity basketball teams scored Woodland Conference victories over Cudahy Wednesday night.

The PHS girls team defeated host Cudahy 59-47. The Pirates had lost to Cudahy in December by 19 points.

Pewaukee led from start to finish. The Pirates put the game away by going a perfect 12-for-12 from the free-throw line in the final period.

Jordyn Swan led the Pirates with 25 points.  Natalie Wood had 14, Emily Wirth 10 and Brittany Groer 8 for Pewaukee.

The win moved the PHS record to 15-4 on the season and 13-2 in league play. New Berlin West is second with three losses.

Town of Mukwonago sets tentative timeline for Country Bliss drainage plans

Feb. 15, 2012 7:27 p.m. | The Town of Mukwonago board approved several motions that would keep a proposed project moving to alleviate flooding concerns in Country Bliss subdivision alive during their regular town board meeting this evening.

Board members approved a very tentative timeline for a pipeline that would divert water from Memory Lane-Paradise Lane in Country Bliss and send it west along Memory Lane to South Oak Tree Drive. The first two steps, the board decided, will be to hold a public hearing in April on the creation of a Country Bliss only utility district to cover any charges over the $506,000 Community Development Block Grant that was awarded to find a permanent solution to this project. The second is to hire an engineer to determine if a one acre lot of land that a resident has offered to sell to the town will be a suitable location for the retention pond. Beyond that, other items to be completed will be to send requests for engineering work, obtain necessary permits, purchase the property, and finally begin construction.

Check next week Wednesday's Mukwonago Chief for the full story.

Rumors donates $2,000 to booster club

Feb. 15, 2012 2:54 p.m. | At the Hamilton Athletic Booster Club (HABC) monthlymeeting on Monday, Vice-President Terri Schiedemeyer reported receiving a $2,000 surprise donation from Rumors Sports Bar & Grille. The surprise contribution was presented to Schiedemeyer by Andrea Reese, co-owner of Rumors who recently held a drawing to win a flat screen television. The winner was selected during the Super Bowl. Reese said they found out about the Booster Club while speaking to a patron.

“It was a no brainer” she said. Rumors wants to be known as a business that supports sports in the community Reese added. She said she “was excited to give to kids, sports and the community” through the HABC.

Additional conversation on Monday reviewed the Charging Forward program that looks to update/replace the outdoor football scoreboard, with the first of its kind in Wisconsin and an addition to the indoor scoreboard with advanced technology. With a large amount of funds to be raised before purchase of the state-of-the-art scoreboard, the recent donation will help reach the goal.

The Sussex Hamilton Athletic Booster Club, a nonprofit organization, is committed to supporting the athletic programs of Hamilton High School. They provide
financial support through funds raised by volunteers to promote excellence in those athletic programs and the community.

For more information, visit www. http://hamiltonathleticboosterclub.com/

Mukwonago girls' basketball helping Women's Center

Feb. 15, 2012 12:59 p.m. |  Help support the Waukesha Women's Center this Friday, Feb. 17 at the Mukwonago girls basketball "Youth Night," at Mukwonago High School. 

Bring two nonperishable food items to the Indians' game against the Waukesha South Blackshirts and admission to the game is free - or players can wear their Mukwonago basketball jersey and get in to the game free. 

T-shirts will also be available for $10 with all proceeds going to the Women's Center, as well as proceeds from the 50/50 raffle. 

Game times are 5:45 p.m. for the freshman and junior varsity game and 7:30 p.m. for the varsity game. 

Victim in Waukesha fatal crash identified

Feb. 15, 2012 12:02 p.m. | Waukesha - Waukesha police have identified the victim of Tuesday's fatal car crash on E. North St. and W. Moreland Blvd. as 34-year-old Andrea R. Berger of Pewaukee.

Berger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from her car after it crashed shortly before 7 a.m. in a weather-related accident.

Police Capt. Ron Oremus said she was traveling southbound on E. North St. and slid into oncoming traffic. Two other vehicles were involved in the crash. One other female was taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and a man was treated at the scene and released.

Menomonee Falls, Pewaukee sites chosen for Parade of Homes

Feb. 15, 2012 11:50 a.m. | The Quail Haven subdivision in Menomonee Falls and Still River subdivision in Pewaukee will be the sites for the 2012 Metropolitan Builders Association's Parade of Homes.

Each site at this year's Parade of Homes, which takes place from Aug. 18 to Sept. 9, will have newly built homes featuring the latest design and decorating trends, the association said Wednesday.

More than 30,000 visitors are expected to tour the homes of the course of the three-week event, the association said.

Homebuilders at Quail Haven include: Allan Builders LLC, Aspen Homes Inc., Belman Homes Inc., Demlang Builders Inc., Embassy Construction Corp. J. Anthony Homes & Designs LLC and Zach Building Co.

Home builders at Still River include: Halen Homes LLC, Kaerek Homes Inc., Kings Way Homes LLC, Korndoerfer Homes, Regency Builders Inc. and Tim O'Brien Homes.

Delafield Town okays chicken ordinance

Feb. 15, 2012 10:42 a.m. |

Town of Delafield – The Town Board can now move on from what became a fowl issue.

The board Tuesday approved ordinances that would allow residents to raise chickens. As part of the approval, the board set an initial license fee of $75 with an annual renewal fee of $25. The cost is to cover administrative costs as well as an on-site inspection by the zoning administrator.

Under the ordinance, a resident would be allowed to keep no more than eight chickens, residents would need to get a license and chicken coops must meet double the required setback. No commercial activities or roosters would be allowed.

OHS Scholastic Award Winners

Feb. 15, 2012 7:59 a.m. | The Oconomowoc High School  Visual Arts Department announced that eight students received recognition in the 2012 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards-Wisconsin, held at the Milwaukee Art Museum. 

The students listed below were chosen from almost 1500 entries statewide:

Honorable Mention:  Mackenzie Shambeau- Drawing (2),  Parker Hoisington- Digital Photo, Kayla Houston- Digital Photo, Paul Rodriguez- Digital Photo

 Silver Key: Maggie Schmidt- Digital Photo, Carly Steger- Digital Photo, Francis Way- Art Metals, Alex Worth- Digital Photo

 Student artwork will be on display  until early March. 

Title IX complaints filed against 5 school districts

Feb. 15, 2012 7:50 a.m. | Five area school districts are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights for allegations of discrimination against female high school athletes.

A complainant has made the allegations against the Kettle Moraine, Oconomowoc, Mukwonago, Waukesha and Elmbrook school districts.

Read more in tomorrow's Lake Country Reporter, or follow this story later today at LivingLakeCountry.com.

AHS boys rally past Marquette

Feb. 14, 2012 11:26 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys basketball team outscored host MIlwaukee Marquette by a 10-1 margin in the final four minutes to defeat the Hilltoppers in a nonconference game, 46-43 Tuesday night.

AHS won for the fourth straight game and improved to 11-9 on the season.

Billy Hirschfeld led the Warhawks with 15 points and DJ Escamilla had 14. Ryan Saeger grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for Arrowhead.

Kettle Moraine to continue looking at infrastructure to support technology

Feb. 14, 2012 10:38 p.m. | Feeling the pinch of transforming education and personalizing learning under an aging infrastructure within existing facilities, Kettle Moraine School District Director of Facilities Dale Zabel and Director of Technology Brandon Kostoln presented preliminary work investigating the adequacy of the district's facility and technology infrastructure to the School Board tonight.

Realizing the burdens technology is placing on the district's infrastructure and facilities, the school board gave the nod to further work investigating district needs regarding infrastructure and facilities to support efficiently meeting the needs of all students in the district. 

Arrowhead boys hockey team advances

Feb. 14, 2012 9:43 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys hockey team opened WIAA regional play Tuesday night at the Mullett Ice Center by defeating visiting Beaver Dam, 6-2.

By winning, AHS will play at the Blue Line Center in Fond du Lac against host St. Mary's Springs on Friday night.

Arrowhead improved to 12-10-2 on the season. Beaver Dam closed out the year with a 7-15-1 mark.

AHS scored two short-handed goals in the game. Scoring for the Warhawks were Mike Adams, Brett Stapelfeldt, Nick Peterson, John Sorenson, Sam Dvorak and Ryan Anderson.

Arrowhead wrestlers back to state

Feb. 14, 2012 9:38 p.m. | Arrowhead coach John Mesenbrink finished his career with the program competing at the state meet last winter. Now it's coach Jeremy Miller's turn to discover what it's all about.

The Warhawks dominated Wauwatosa on Tuesday in the team sectional, 54-15, and earned a berth in the team state competition during the first weekend of March. Arrowhead reached the state finals last year, falling to Wisconsin Rapids. Coincidentally, Rapids will be waiting in the quarterfinals this time around when the teams meet up at the University of Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison on March 2.

Austin Yde won an 8-7 decision in overtime at 132 pounds to jumpstart the meet, and the Warhawks won the night's first eight matches. Pins went to Adam Yde (138), Mitch Berenz (145), Zach Barbee (160), Zak Ryder (185), Austin Gatchel (heavyweight) and Andrew Crone (120).

King girls defeat Arrowhead

Feb. 14, 2012 9:36 p.m. |  Visiting Milwaukee King handed Arrowhead's varsity girls basketball team a 66-57 nonconference defeat Tuesday night. The loss snapped Arrowhead's 10-game winning streak.

AHS, ranked 7th in the State AP Division 1 poll, fell to 14-3 on the season. King, ranked 11th, improved to 13-6 on the year.

AHS fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter but rallied to take a 45-44 lead in the final period. King made 11 of 18 free throws in the final period to clinch the win.

Sophomore Kelly Smith had her best varsity game in two years. The 6-foot  forward fired in a team-hgh 25 points. She also grabbed a team-best 15 rebounds, 9 of which came off the offensive glass.

Jenny Smith had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Warhawks.

Recycling, landfill dumping both drop in Waukesha County

Feb. 14, 2012 3:58 p.m. | Waukesha - Waukesha County residents recycled slightly less last year, but the amount of trash they threw into landfills decreased by an even bigger percentage - continuing an eight-year trend.

And while the amount of recyclables processed at the Waukesha County Materials Recycling Facility in 2011 dropped slightly, their sale at markets brought in significantly more revenue than a year earlier, said Karen Fiedler, supervisor of the county's solid waste program.

Twenty-five of the county's 37 communities haul their recyclables to the county processing plant in Waukesha. In 2011, the facility processed 21,431 tons of recyclables, about 1% less than 2010. The sale of bottles, steel and aluminum cans, glass and paper brought in $1.6 million, compared with just under $1.2 million a year ago, Fiedler said.

Money from the sale of recyclables, plus a state grant that dropped about 40% this year, to $874,000, are used both to return funds to the participating communities and earmarked in a fund balance that will eventually help the county replace its recycling facility in the future.

Fiedler said that the level of greenhouse gas emissions reduced from recycling those materials was equivalent to taking more than 6,400 cars off the road for a year, and it kept 50,000 cubic yards of waste out of landfills, equivalent to a football field filled more than 30 feet high.

I-43 work in Big Bend, Mukwonago to begin tomorrow

Feb. 14, 2012 3:04 p.m. |  Road construction along I-43 southbound between Highway 164 and Highway 83 will begin tomorrow, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) states. 

Construction will be staged to keep most lanes open during peak drive times. Lanes will be restricted during off-peak (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and at night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.). To perform bridge structure work, ramps will close short-term at WIS 83 and at WIS 164, although not consecutively. Signs will indicate detour routes during these weekend closures. Martin Road/County U over I-43 will close beginning February 20 through October to accomplish bridge widening and improvements.

Seven miles of I-43 southbound will undergo resurfacing between February 15 through fall of this year.

Northbound work will take place in 2013. 

The DOT reports this project will be paid for using a mix of federal and state funds. The I-43 project between Highway 164 and Highway 83, and the Martin Road Bridge project is estimated to cost $3.5 million. 

McAleer proposes Hafner as interm administrator

Feb. 14, 2012 2:39 p.m. | CITY OF DELAFIELD - Mayor Ed McAleer is going to propose to the Common Council next week that Department of Public Works Director Tom Hafner be appointed as interim city administrator/DPW director for the remainder of 2012.

Hafner, an engineer, has been publically and privately praised by Common Council members and other city officials for his performance during his nine year tenure as director of public works. He has also survived several changes in city administration and a number of political controversies.

McAleer, in remarks prepared for an appearance at the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, suggests there is a potential to save money by consolidating the two positions.

"I will ask the council to consider appointing Tom Hafner to handle both responsibilities as acting administrator/director of public works for the remainder of 2012. This will give the council, staff, citizens and Tom an opportunity to see if this consolidation in worth entertaining in the City of Delafield.

Incumbent City Administrator Tim Schuenke is schedule to retire in July.

Water talk at Greener Oconomowoc meeting

Feb. 14, 2012 2:26 p.m. | Lisa Conley will talk about water quality – what is water quality, biological monitoring, local monitoring, link between water and food and Rock River Recovery Plan – at Greener Oconomowoc’s monthly meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Waukesha State Bank Community Room.
Conley is a founding member of Greener Oconomowoc, President of Town and Country Resource Conservation and Development and Rock River Coalition board member. The program is free and open to all who are interested in attending. Conley will speak at 7.
Greener Oconomowoc is a nonprofit volunteer organization of local residents and business owners whose mission is to provide Oconomowoc and surrounding communities with an environmentally-friendly economy and environment through the understanding and implementation of the Natural Step principles. To learn more about Greener Oconomowoc and the Natural Steps along with the sustainable work that is being done in the community you can visit; http://GreenerOconomowoc.wildapricot.org.

The Mukwonago Chief celebrates love

Feb. 14, 2012 12:00 p.m. |  Although today is Valentine’s Day, the Mukwonago Chief still wanted to pass along a story of love in tomorrow's paper. 

Juanita and Jack Grundl met nearly 60 years ago during a blind date. 

"I've been blind ever since," Juanita joked.

Through good times and bad, the couple and their eight kids always found a way to stick together. 

(Juanita may have even passed along a little advice on how to stay married so long.)

Man pleads not guilty in drug OD of Sussex woman

Feb. 14, 2012 10:11 a.m. |

Waukesha – A Milwaukee man entered a not guilty plea Monday for allegedly causing the death of a Sussex woman who died from an overdose of heroin she allegedly obtained from the man in June.

Donald Ray Brown, 46, of Milwaukee, charged with first-degree reckless homicide and manufacture/deliver heroin, appeared in Waukesha County Circuit Court to enter the plea. Brown is accused of supplying heroin to Patricia K. Berge, 20, who was found dead at her Sussex residence from an overdose of heroin early June 3, according to the criminal complaint.

The Waukesha County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Berge died of acute heroin intoxication, the complaint said.

Brown, who is being held in Waukesha County Jail on $10,000 cash bail, is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing March 21.

Health care employee accused of abuse to go to trial

Feb. 14, 2012 9:17 a.m. | Waukesha – A former Waukesha health care facility employee charged for allegedly abusing an elderly patient last summer was scheduled to be sentenced Monday but her attorney informed a judge her client wanted to take the matter to trial.

Frettie L. Powell, 53, of Milwaukee, charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with a felony count of intentionally abuse patients, appeared in court for what was scheduled to be a plea/sentencing hearing. Powell’s attorney Anfin Jaw informed a judge Powell wished to take the matter to trial, according to court records.

According to the criminal complaint, Powell is accused of striking an 81-year-old female patient, who is suffering from dementia, on June 12, 2011. An employee of the facility examined the elderly woman and saw red marks on the woman’s thighs, the complaint said. Powell has denied any wrongdoing.

Powell is scheduled to go to trial March 20.

Pancake supper to benefit local charity

Feb. 14, 2012 7:25 a.m. |  Zion Episcopal Church, 135 Rockwell Pl. in Oconomowoc, will hold its annual Pancake Supper onTuesday, Feb. 21, from 5 to 7 pm. in the lower parish hall.

This year the popular all-you-can-eat event will benefit the Penny's and Nichols Center in Oconomowoc.

They will be serving homemade pancakes, homemade toppings, sausage links and applesauce.  For desert - homemade cookies. Tickets are $7.00 a piece or $25.00 for a family.

For additional information please call Julie Dlouhy at 262-567-6799.

Dominican too much for Pewaukee girls

Feb. 13, 2012 10:42 p.m. | The Pewaukee girls basketball team went on a 13-0 run early in the third quarter, tying the score at 34-34 and giving the Pirates a glimmer of hope against one of the favorites to win the WIAA Division 3 crown.

But the Knights, led by an intense, pressure-heavy defense that forced 23 turnovers, responded with an 11-2 run and ultimately won in a nonconference battle Monday at PHS, 61-49.

Led by returning All State choices Deysha Smith-Jenkins (23 points) and Dilonna Johnson (12 points) and bolstered by freshman sensation Allazia Blockton (20 points), Dominican (15-1) showed the talent that made them a state qualifier last year. The Pirates (14-4) were led by Jordyn Swan's 18 points.

The Pirates will play another crucial home game Wednesday against Cudahy, a game that would essentially give the Pirates a Woodland Blue DIvision title with a victory.

Large turnout at Richmond School Board meeting

Feb. 13, 2012 7:03 p.m. | At least 50 people showed up for the Richmond School Board meeting this evening.

No one has spoken yet, but it appears the big crowd is here to talk about the proposed elimination of post-employment benefits for teachers.

The meeting began at 7 p.m., and more people are slowly trickling in.

Stay tuned to Lake Country Watch this evening, as I'll try to keep readers updated on developments from the meeting.

Mukwonago middle and high school orchestras combine for pops concert

Feb. 13, 2012 4:16 p.m. | Mukwonago High School and Park View Middle School orchestras will hold their annual Pops Concert and spaghetti dinner tonight, Feb. 13 at Park View Middle School.

The dinner starts at 5 p.m. and includes a raffle to raise money for second semester activities, including guest clinicians and buses for field trips. 

The concert starts at 7 p.m. and will feature music from Elvis, "Jersey Boys," John Williams and a combined number with all groups featuring the Hawaiian version of "Over the Rainbow."

Teachers union urging members to come to Richmond meeting tonight

Feb. 13, 2012 2:22 p.m. | The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state's largest teacher's union, is urging its members to "respectfully show (their) opposition" at a meeting of the Richmond School Board at 7 p.m. tonight.

The School Board is expected to approve a measure that would eliminate post-employment benefits for teachers and staff in the district at the meeting.

"This Board and administration are destroying what previous school boards, administrators, teachers, and the community have built over the years," a recent message to WEAC members said.

At a Jan. 27 special School Board meeting, Board President Ken Skarie said, "I see this as precedent," when referring to the proposed changes to post-employment benefits.

The proposal would eliminate benefits such as health, dental, and life insurance coverage for early retirees. Only two teachers, the district administrator and a clerical worker would be exempted from the changes based on a formula calculated by the School Board.

Accused owl thief bound over for trial

Feb. 13, 2012 9:05 a.m. |

Waukesha – A Dousman teen was bound over for trial last week for allegedly stealing an owl from a wildlife center.

Matthew R. Kuhlemeyer, 18, of N2809 Road Z, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday and will appear in court Thursday for a hearing along with his alleged co-conspirator, Dilan S. White, 18, of 592 N. Buth Road, also of Dousman.

The teens are each charged burglary and criminal damage to property for stealing an owl named Dakota Nov. 12 from the Wildlife in Need Center in the Town of Ottawa. The teens took the bird to an acquaintance’s house where it escaped. The owl was captured Dec. 7.

Wales municipal lot parking restrictions start today

Feb. 13, 2012 8:17 a.m. | Starting Monday, Feb. 13, parking in the Village of Wales municipal lot will be restricted to a maximum of two hours, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. through 4 p.m.  Parking fines start at $25 and increase after seven days.  

Hart-Lake referendum is next week

Feb. 13, 2012 7:18 a.m. | With the primary election just a week away, time is running down for voters in the Hartland-Lakeside School District to decide whether they will support a $930,000 referendum. Read more in tomorrow's Lake Country Reporter.

Several departments respond to Town of Vernon garage fire

Feb. 12, 2012 11:22 a.m. | Officials are investigating a fire in an attached garage in Waukesha County that forced residents to evacuate early Sunday.

The Waukesha County Communications Center received a call at 3:20 a.m. that a garage was on fire on Pheasant Drive in the Town of Vernon, according to a news release by the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department.

When first responders arrived, there were flames coming into the house from the burning garage. Residents safely left the building, authorities said.

The sheriff's department is still investigating. The cause of the fire and a damage estimate were not released.

In addition to the sheriff's department, firefighters from Wales/Genesee, city of New Berlin, Tichigan, Tess Corners, the towns of Vernon and Waukesha, and villages of Big Bend, Mukwonago and Eagle responded to the incident.

Arrowhead boys whip South

Feb. 10, 2012 9:39 p.m. |  Host Arrowhead's varsity boys basketball team whipped Waukesha South Friday night in a Classic 8 Conference game, 71-48.

AHS improved to 10-9 overall  and 8-4 in league play.

South has one win on the season.

Ryan Saeger led the Warhawks with 16 points. DJ Escamilla had 13 points and Kenny Finco had 10 points.

Pewaukee boys win big

Feb. 10, 2012 9:34 p.m. |  Host Pewaukee's varsity boys basketball team rolled over struggling St. Francis Friday night in a Woodland Conference game, 65-29.

PHS improved to14-5 on the season and 12-3 in league play. The win was the eighth in a row for the Pirates.

Senior Jordan Daul fired in 16 points to lead the winners. John Czerwinski had 10 points.

Love is in the air this weekend

Feb. 10, 2012 4:06 p.m. | Theatre on Main invites you to enjoy a Valentine’s treat, A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters”. Starring in this emotionally riveting Pulitzer Prize for Drama nominated play is Carl Liden as Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, and local playwright, Lisa Rowe, author of Psych, as Melissa Gardner.

Both born to wealth and position, they become childhood friends whose correspondence begins with birthday party thank you notes and summer camp postcards, and continues throughout their multi-faceted lives. Melissa, who hates writing letters, is portrayed as rich and spoiled, with a private nurse and private schools, artistic, certainly lascivious, divorced, eventually alcoholic, bi-polar, and suicidal. Andy Ladd is square, destined for Yale, a naval officer, a lawyer, and a U.S. Senator, and says that “writing letters is what he loves most”.

Using the epistolary form sometimes found in novels, they sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards - in which over nearly 50 years, they discuss their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats - that have passed between them throughout their separated lives. In his preface to Love Letters, A. R. Gurney suggests that his emphasis in this play on the importance of writing is more than coincidental.

Showing for a limited time only, “Love Letters” is being performed Feb. 10-12. Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2. Theatre on Main is at 25 S. Main St., Oconomowoc. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the box office at (26) 560-0564, at Books & Company and the Fox Bros. Oconomowoc Piggly Wiggly. Mature subject matter; some adult language.

Poor driving conditions in Lake Country

Feb. 10, 2012 12:13 p.m. |  Driving conditions throughout the Lake Country area deteriorated quickly Friday morning and just about all roads in the area are snow covered and very slippery. 

As of 10 a.m. the roads were just wet, but not slippery. By 11 a.m. the temperature had dropped, the wind started blowing and the snow became heavier.

Traffic both east and westbound on Highway 16 from Pewaukee to Hartland was going about 25 to 35 miles per hour. Several cars were in the ditch in a two-mile stretch near Yench Road.

Traffc on Highway 83 between 16 and I-94 was also going very slow.

Road conditions in Hartland also were very slippery as of noon.

Hart-Lake makes its case

Feb. 08, 2012 9:21 p.m. | The Hartland-Lakeside School District laid out its reasoning for asking district taxpayers for $930,000 in referendum dollars at a meeting at North Shore Middle School tonight.

Tonight's meeting was one in a series of meetings designed to educate the public on what the school district is asking of taxpayers. The next meeting is set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 13, followed by another that evening at 6:30 p.m.

At the meeting, Superintendent Glenn Schilling outlined the numerous cost-cutting measures the district has implemented in recent years and the effect of recent legislation on the district.

The district is seeking the referendum money to continue offering the same level of services to its students. According to Schilling, an unsuccessful referendum would force the district to make reductions in certain areas, including electives, the arts, support staff, special education, technology. Cuts could also lead to higher class sizes, he said.

Taxpayers will vote on the referendum in the Feb. 21 primary ballot.

Mayor to sign student proclamation

Feb. 08, 2012 2:40 p.m. |  Tomorrow, City of Oconomowoc Mayor Daley will sign a proclamation written by a group of students from Nature Hill Intermediate School and Silver Lake Intermediate School at 2 pm at City Hall.  The students wrote the proclamation as part of the Reading Streak: 100 days of Reading.

Bullying program coming to Mukwonago schools

Feb. 08, 2012 12:10 p.m. | Get Connected, a parent network that helps families navigate the school years by providing information and networking, will present "No Child Should be Afraid to Go to School," with Jim Jelinske on Thursday, Feb. 16.

Two morning sessions, 9 a.m. for grades 4 through 6 and 10 a.m. for students in kindergarten through third grade will be held at Prairie View School. An evening session for adults will be presented at 7 p.m. at Park View Middle School, 930 N. Rochester Street, Mukwonago, in the school library. 

The program addresses bullying at school, which can be reduced through comprehensive, school-wide programs designed to change behavior.

For more information, contact Dr. Maxine Towle, MAS pupil services director at (262) 363-6300 ext. 24200 or towlema@mukwonago.k12.wi.us .

Hart-Lake referendum discussion tonight

Feb. 08, 2012 11:27 a.m. | Looking for more information on the upcoming Hartland-Lakeside referendum?

The school district is holding an informational session tonight at 6:30 p.m. at North Shore Middle School.

District residents face a $930,000 tax referendum on Feb. 21, that district officials say is needed to maintain the current level of district services.

If you can't make tonight's meeting, consider going to next week's discussions at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13.

Eat, drink and be merry at Wine and Brewfest

Feb. 08, 2012 11:22 a.m. | Beer, wine and a chocolate dipping fountain dessert bar.

Does it get any better than that?

Yes, it does.

The sixth annual Wine and Brewfest sponsored by the Oconomowoc Rotary Club also includes appetizers as well as American and Italian fare. And if that doesn’t make it even more appetizing, proceeds will go toward Rotary’s charitable endeavors including the polio eradication project around the world. 

The event takes place 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc.

Sussex still seeking DPW Director

Feb. 08, 2012 9:58 a.m. | Village of Sussex - Village officials have acknowledged they are having a difficult time filling the position of Director of Public Works/Village Engineer.

Village Administrator Jeremy Smith said eight candidates, thought to be semi finalists for the position, were interviewed by the village staff. Smith said the village will continue seeking applicants who have necessary professional qualifications for the position as well as a personality that enables the candidate to fit in with the village staff and village trustees.

Village President Greg Greg Goetz said the Director of Public Works position requires an individual who has engineering education and skills, a kinowlege of municipal government, and an ability to work with residents of the communtiy.

The position has been vacant since late last year when former Public Works Director Eric Nitschke resigned to accept the position of Director of the Southeastern Region of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Assistant Administrator Melissa Weiss has been serving as interim director. The village officials would not comment on whether they would consider appointing her Department of Public Works Director and later hiring an engineer who would report to her.

Generac plans expansion, remodeling

Feb. 08, 2012 7:52 a.m. | Generac plans to put $8 million to $10 million into an expansion and remodeling project at its Town of Genesee plant, according to an announcement from the company on Tuesday.

Read more in this week's Kettle Moraine Index.

Smith scores school-record 43 points for Arrowhead girls

Feb. 07, 2012 10:30 p.m. | Arrowhead senior post Jenny Smith carved up Germantown in school-record fashion Tuesday, scoring 43 points and guiding her team to a 59-35 nonconference win over the other Warhawks.

Smith made 16 of 18 shots from the field, 11 of 11 from the free-throw line and grabbed 12 rebounds.

"It doesn't get more perfect than that," AHS coach Heidi Hamilton said. "She got great looks from her teammates, and she had the best game I've seen her play. She had 34 against Franklin earlier this year, and this just puts an exclamation point on it."

Smith broke the record set by Lorraine Lorenzen, who scored 42, 39, 36 and 35 points in a game to hold the previous top four marks in school history. Lorenzen graduated in 1977 and later played at the University of Wisconsin.

"The main reason (this happened) is because of my team)," Smith said. "I probably made about three moves by myself. It all came from passing: the lobs, them driving and dishing. I took what I could get, and it was all because of them.

Hamilton falls to Pius

Feb. 07, 2012 10:28 p.m. | Sussex Hamilton coach Dan Carey returned to his alma mater Tuesday, Milwaukee Pius XI, hoping to guide his team to an eye-opening nonconfernece win. But the Popes hit 10 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter and thwarted any ideas of a rally as Pius handled the Chargers, 47-27.

Hamilton took a 10-4 lead early but Pius went on a 16-3 run and built an edge as large as 30-17 in the third quarter. Hamilton committed 11 turnovers in the middle two quarters but did bounce back to within 33-26 before Pius' free-throw spree settled the score once and for all.

Hamilton fell to 12-3 overall heading into a monster Greater Metro Conference class Friday against Menomonee Falls -- two teams tied with Divine Savior Holy Angels for first place in the league. Pius, one of the co-leaders in the Classic 8 and ranked seventh in the state, moved to 14-3.

AHS boys defeat Kettle Moraine

Feb. 07, 2012 9:54 p.m. |  Arrowhead's varsity boys basketball team led from start to finish Tuesday night and scored a 65-48 Classic 8 Conference victory over host Kettle Moraine.

AHS improved to 9-9 overall and 7-4 in league play. KM fell to 5-12 on the season and 3-8 in conference games.

Ryan Saeger led the Warhawks with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Kenny Finco had 8 points and Dominic Todarello had 7 points. 

KM was led by sophomore Paul Miller with 15 points. Miller made 11 of 12 foul shots. Beck Chase and Ben Varick chipped in with 7 points each. 

Good start, good finish for PHS boys

Feb. 07, 2012 9:27 p.m. | Pewaukee's varsity boys basketball team got off to a good  start on Tuesday and finished strong against Brown Deer.

The Pirates, which got 15 points from Kray Bradley, defeated the Falcons 70-55. Brown Deer, which trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half, cut the lead to three points 45-42 before Pewaukee pulled away in the fourth quarter.

"We handled the ball and all their defenses they threw at us in the first half, and in the fourth quarter," PHS head boys basketball coach Tim Reuter said.

Jordan Edgerson sccred 12 points for the winners. Jordan Daul added 11 points.

Delafield planners narrowly back chicken ordinance

Feb. 07, 2012 8:13 p.m. |

Town of Delafield – The Plan Commission Tuesday recommended on a 4-3 vote to the Town Board to approve of an ordinance that would allow residents to raise chickens.

The Plan Commission has been discussing such an ordinance for several months after one town resident was found to be raising chickens on a residential property. The ordinance allows residents to raise up to eight chickens.

Numerous other area communities have such an ordinance as do major cities in the United States

Delafield man charged with 6th OWI

Feb. 07, 2012 2:02 p.m. | Waukesha – A City of Delafield man, who is accused of "swerving" all over I-94 Feb. 3 was charged Feb. 6 in Waukesha County Circuit Court with sixth-offense drunken driving.

According to the criminal complaint, two motorists on westbound I-94 contacted dispatchers at about 8:15 p.m. about a vehicle that was "swerving all over the road between all three lanes." A Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department deputy stopped the vehicle, driven by Thomas J. Metsa, 43, of 402 Genesee St., on the freeway near Highway 83 in the City of Delafield.

A preliminary breath test showed Metsa had an alcohol concentration of 0.19. A level of 0.08 is considered evidence of intoxication in adult drivers in Wisconsin. People with three or more drunken driving convictions are prohibited from driving with a level of 0.02 or higher.

Metsa is free on $3,000 cash bail and is scheduled to appear in court March 15 for a hearing.

Oconomowoc man charged with 7th OWI

Feb. 07, 2012 1:39 p.m. |

Waukesha – A 42-year-old City of Oconomowoc man was charged Monday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with seventh-offense drunken driving after he made an improper turn early Sunday.

According to the criminal complaint, at about 1:40 a.m. a City of Oconomowoc officer saw a vehicle, driven by Darrick B. Junck of 1150 W. Wisconsin Ave., turn left at Collins and Main streets even though there is a sign stating no left turn. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the odor of intoxicants.

Junck admitted to the officer he had several beers at a bar and said he should not have been driving, the complaint said. A preliminary breath test showed an alcohol concentration of 0.15. A level of 0.08 is considered evidence of intoxication in adult drivers in Wisconsin. People with three or more drunken driving convictions are prohibited from driving with a level of 0.02 or higher.

Junck was convicted of drunken driving in September 1995, April 1997, March 1998, August 2000, November 20005 and in May 2008, when he was sentenced in Jefferson County to three years in prison and three years of extended supervision.

I-43 construction near Mukwonago to begin next week

Feb. 07, 2012 1:31 p.m. |  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced today that construction seven miles of southbound I-43 between Highway 164 and Highway 83 will begin next week. This project will resurface the roadway, providing a better riding surface and also rehabilitate bridge structures.

Construction will be staged to keep most lanes open during peak drive times. Lanes will be restricted during mornings from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.,  and overnight  from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.  

To perform bridge structure work, ramps will close short-term at Highway 83 and at Highway 164, although not consecutively. Signs will indicate detour routes during these weekend closures. 

Motorists are advised to plan ahead and expect delays during off-peak hours.

Sweet Mullets brewpub coming to Oconomowoc

Feb. 07, 2012 12:17 p.m. | An Oconomowoc brewpub is making a splash, and it hasn't even opened yet: Sweet Mullets Brewery & Pub was voted "best of the fest" at the Isthmus Beer and Cheese Fest last month in Madison for its Wild Buckwheat Red, made from Wisconsin buckwheat and hops. 

Mark Duchow, the brewmaster and co-owner of Sweet Mullets with Barbara Jones, said the brewpub could open to the public by the first week of March. It's in the industrial park off Old Highway 16, at N58-W39800 Industrial Road. 

That Wild Buckwheat Rye should be available when Sweet Mullets opens. It's expected to be a seasonal beer, made just after the hops harvest in fall. It's brewed from wild hops, Duchow said -- from plants that grow beside train tracks, the result of hops being transported when Wisconsin was a top producer after the Civil War.  

Duchow said Sweet Mullets currently is contracting the brewing of its beer; it's expected to begin brewing its beers on site in April or May, after federal approval, and customers will be able to see the beers being made.

Duchow said he's been a professional brewer for 20 years, getting his start at Water Street Brewery in 1992. He was brewmaster at the Grumpy Troll brewpub in Mount Horeb from 2006 to 2010. 

Mukwonago Food Pantry hosts Casino Night this Saturday

Feb. 07, 2012 12:00 p.m. |  Support the Mukwonago Food Pantry and have some fun during Casion Night being held from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 11 at the American Legion Post 375, 627 Highway NN in Mukwonago. 

The event will include gaming, raffles, hors d'oeuvres, door prizes, music and more. 

A $25 donation includes $500 "fun money" and snacks. 

Music will be provided by DJ Bush. 

Proceeds will benefit the Mukwonago Food Pantry. 

Will logo be a no go at the Supreme Court?

Feb. 07, 2012 7:52 a.m. | A lawyer for two Mukwonago residents protesting the state's mascot law has petitioned for the case to go directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing the Court of Appeals.

Attorney Sam Hall - who represents James Schoolcraft and Craig Vertz - said such petitions are rarely granted, but the constitutional nature of the issue might increase the chances.

Read more in tomorrow's Mukwonago Chief.