Help us choose the All-Suburban teams and you could win Bucks tickets
Want to weigh in on who you think are the best boys and girls basketball players in the suburban area?
Now's your chance, as we're asking high school hoops fans to help us select the annual NOW Newspapers All-Suburban boys and girls basketball teams, and the Players of the Year.
We've nominated the top players in the area to fill 10 spots on each honors team and we're asking you to pick the players that you think are the best in the NOW Newspapers coverage area.
When the fan voting is over, your votes - along with the votes of our sports staff - will determine the makeup of our All-Suburban Teams. And one lucky person will win a pair of lower-level tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game just for voting!
» Read Full ArticleSalvation Army beats its Red Kettle fundraising goal
The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County collected $2.9 million during its 2011 Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, surpassing its goal by $200,000. The fundraiser ended Jan. 31.
Contributions will help the organization, which has headquarters in Wauwatosa, assist the county's unemployed, underemployed, homeless and others in need with emergency shelter, food and clothing.
In Milwaukee County, the Salvation Army operates 85 programs including disaster relief, utility and rent assistance, employment services and summer lunch programs for children.
New officers introduced in Bayside
Bayside Police Chief Bruce Resnick introduced two new officers to the Village Board this week. Officer Gina Kleeba, sworn in on Jan. 2, is now attending the Police Academy. Kleeba was a village dispatcher prior to being sworn in. She will be back in the village in about three months when her schooling is completed. Resnick said he misses her computer skills and will be happy to see her back.
Cory Fuller, who speaks both French and Spanish, is the other addition to the department. Fuller spent a year teaching in France, Resnick said. While his French language skills might not be needed often, Resnick said his Spanish will likely be a help to the department. Fuller is on-the-road under the supervision of a training officer while he does his field training.
Appliance World stores won't reopen
Appliance World confirmed today that it is permanently closing its three area locations in Brookfield, Greenfield and Germantown.
One of the area's most recognizable retail stores, the appliance retailer locked its doors Sunday and told its employees the company's future and ownership was in doubt, though it had left open the possibility the stores could reopen under new management and ownership.
But in a statement issued through My In-House Agency today to media outlets, owner Ed Aumann set aside any hope.
"The economic conditions of the past several years have been too much to overcome," Aumann said in the news release. "I would like to thank all of our customers and employees for their support and patronage over the past half century."
Aumann said Appliance World, in business in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than 56 years, closed at behest of its secured lender, GE Capital Solutions. Assets have been surrendered to the bank.
» Read Full ArticleAppliance World stores won't reopen
Appliance World confirmed today that it is permanently closing its three area locations in Brookfield, Greenfield and Germantown.
One of the area's most recognizable retail stores, the appliance retailer locked its doors Sunday and told its employees the company's future and ownership was in doubt, though it had left open the possibility the stores could reopen under new management and ownership.
But in a statement issued through My In-House Agency today to media outlets, owner Ed Aumann set aside any hope.
"The economic conditions of the past several years have been too much to overcome," Aumann said in the news release. "I would like to thank all of our customers and employees for their support and patronage over the past half century."
Aumann said Appliance World, in business in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than 56 years, closed at behest of its secured lender, GE Capital Solutions. Assets have been surrendered to the bank.
» Read Full ArticleAppliance World stores won't reopen
Appliance World confirmed today that it is permanently closing its three area locations in Brookfield, Greenfield and Germantown.
One of the area's most recognizable retail stores, the appliance retailer locked its doors Sunday and told its employees the company's future and ownership was in doubt, though it had left open the possibility the stores could reopen under new management and ownership.
But in a statement issued through My In-House Agency today to media outlets, owner Ed Aumann set aside any hope.
"The economic conditions of the past several years have been too much to overcome," Aumann said in the news release. "I would like to thank all of our customers and employees for their support and patronage over the past half century."
Aumann said Appliance World, in business in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than 56 years, closed at behest of its secured lender, GE Capital Solutions. Assets have been surrendered to the bank.
» Read Full ArticleSchool bus rear-ended; one student suffers minor injuries
A school bus was rear-ended this morning, and one student was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The accident happened on Good Hope Road on the way to Menomonee Falls High School.
All other students on the bus arrived at school about 20 minutes late.
According to a news release, the bus was stopped at the intersection at Flint Drive when it was rear-ended by a car whose driver reportedly thought the bus was going to move through the intersection on the yellow light.
Menomonee Falls School District officials said there was minor damage to the bus and one student was taken to Community Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
High School Principal Dr. Gary Kiltz met with the students to make sure they were doing well physically and emotionally after the accident.
» Read Full ArticleBrown Deer gunshot victim stable
Brown Deer Police say they anticipate a review of charges by Friday against a 20-year-old Brown Deer man who is a suspect in a shooting that took place in a village residence Tuesday morning. A 24-year-old Brown Deer man who was shot is in stable condition at Froedtert Hospital.
Police Tuesday said the victim was driven to St. Mary's Ozaukee after being shot in the leg/pelvic area. Hospital staff via Mequon Police notified local police of the injury. The suspect, with his attorney, later came to the village police station and turned himself in.
Police said he has been booked and taken to the Milwaukee County Criminal Justice Facility.
Crosswalk at Glenview and Wisconsin to be quite noticeable
Residents living near Glenview Avenue have vehemently opposed widening the road, saying they are concerned that doing so will make the already busy intersection at Wisconsin Avenue more dangerous.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation brought plans for crosswalk and signal changes that should provide extra protection for pedestrians to the city's Traffic and Safety Committee on Tuesday.
A 20-foot-wide colored concrete crosswalk will be installed with a striped eight-foot crosswalk in the middle.
"It's really going to stand out in this area," said Tim Anheuser, consultant with Forward 45, which is working with the DOT on the Zoo Interchange reconstruction project.
Changes to the intersection are expected to happen in 2013; the DOT anticipates more traffic on local roads due to freeway construction.
» Read Full ArticleSending a message: Businesses ask for sign code change
Surrounded by the city of Milwaukee on three sides, Bluemound Automotive competes with national franchises that attract customers with inflatable mascots and flashy signage.
Jim Dietrich, president of the business at 60th Street and Bluemound Road, would like to step up his promotions by changing the message on his electronic sign more frequently than once per day.
"I'd like to be on a level playing field with the competition," he said.
Dietrich got support from Alderman Dennis McBride, who on Tuesday asked the Community Development Committee to consider allowing businesses with electronic signs to change them as frequently as every hour for a trial period of 90 days.
"If we're going to allow electronic signs, we ought to allow them to be useful," McBride said.
» Read Full ArticleCity, district look to improve traffic safety near schools
The city and Wauwatosa School District likely will partner on a project aimed at enhancing safety for pedestrians and motorists along streets near four public schools.
The Traffic and Safety Committee on Tuesday unanimously supported spending $26,700 - half of which would be covered by the school district - to hire consultants to investigate "short- and long-term structural solutions" in two heavy traffic zones. The first is along Center Street, the route to Wauwatosa West High School, Whitman Middle School and Eisenhower Elementary School. The second area is on 100th Street in front of Madison Elementary School.
The full Common Council must approve the contract before the study can start.
Meetings with school and police officials, on-site observations and traffic counts would be conducted. A final report with recommendations for changes is anticipated before the city starts putting together its budget for 2013, Bill Porter, city public works director, said.
Schools Superintendent Phil Ertl contacted the city in late fall to voice concerns for motorists and schoolchildren during drop-off and pick-up times. School and city officials have determined that simple solutions such as adding crossing guards or installing stop signs likely won't work in these situations, Porter said.
» Read Full ArticleVideo of Bowlero vehicle break-ins leads to arrest
A 32-year-old Wauwatosa man has been arrested for a string of car break-ins that happened at a local bowling alley between October and January.
In most cases, car windows were smashed out at AMF Bowlero, 11737 W. Burleigh Road, and items such as purses and wallets were taken. The cash and credit cards were then used at gas stations and stores until the owners got wise and canceled the cards.
"We have a pretty state-of-the-art camera system in place so we were able to ID the vehicle to police," said Roy Brent, bowling center manager.
The video led police to a minivan owned by the Tosa man, and officers started conducting surveillance.
"We believed there was a pretty good chance we'd witness him committing a crime within a short period of time," Sgt. David Moldenhauer said. "It was just a different crime than we expected."
» Read Full ArticleMan arrested for taking out gun during family's move
A 58-year-old man was arrested for recklessly endangering safety while armed after his son's friend accused him of pointing a gun at him as he helped move the family into their Wauwatosa home Jan. 26.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
The man's family, which includes his wife and six children ages 3 to 16, were moving into a home in the 12200 block of West Dearbourn Avenue at 2:50 p.m. Jan. 26. The oldest son and his friend, an 18-year-old Spencer man, had made several trips between the old and new home and were doing much of the heavy lifting. Feeling frustrated, the friend referred to the wife using profane language and one of the younger children overheard.
The child told her father, and he confronted the friend. The father said the friend threatened his wife and refused to leave the home, so he got his gun from a safe, but at no time pointed it at the Spencer man.
Not so, according to the son's friend. He said the father grabbed the gun from the safe and pointed it at him, ordering him out of the home.
» Read Full ArticleBrown Deer man shot at home; suspect in custody
A 24-year-old Brown Deer man who sought treatment for a gunshot wound at St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee today was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital as a precaution.
Hospital staff via Mequon Police notified Brown Deer police of the shooting at 10:03 a.m. According to police, the victim said he was shot at his home in the village and driven to the hospital by another family member.
He suffered a single gunshot wound to his leg/pelvic area.
A 20-year-old relative of the victim, who is also a resident of Brown Deer, was identified as the suspect in the shooting. After fleeing the scene, he eventually appeared at the Brown Deer Police Department with his attorney and is currently in custody.
This incident remains under investigation.
Wauwatosa in spotlight thanks to McGivern's new TV show
Don't expect a red carpet full of Hollywood stars wearing haute couture. The screening of the Wauwatosa episode of John McGivern's new television show "Around the Corner" will feature local celebrities including Cranky Al, former Wauwatosa Chamber of Commerce director Meg McKenna and restauranteur Joe Bartolotta.
Attendees of the chamber's annual meeting last week viewed a 3 1/2 -minute trailer for the show, which will air at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. But Wauwatosa residents can sneak an early peak of the full episode thanks to a free premiere showing at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Rosebud Cinema, 6823 W. North Ave. McGivern will answer questions after the screening.
Each episode of the Milwaukee Public Television show features McGivern visiting a Milwaukee-area neighborhood and checking out what "working, living and playing is like in each of these communities," McGivern said. Each episode will have an introduction by historian John Gurda.
McGivern and producer/director Lois Maurer spent four September days filming in Wauwatosa, but they decided to return in October once the Wauwatosa Curling Club took to the ice at Hart Park.
Wauwatosa was one of 13 neighborhoods chosen for the show's first season, which started airing last week.
Man arrested for drunken driving after leaving behind bumper, license plate
A 23-year-old Shorewood man was arrested for drunken driving, with a prior conviction, causing injury by drunken driving, following too close and hit and run after causing an accident with three people injured in the 3500 block of N. Oakland Ave. at 3:15 a.m. Saturday.
According to the Shorewood police report:
The man drove away from the accident scene but his front bumper with the car's license plate attached was left behind.
He and his car were located a short time later at his apartment across the street from the police department.
The car had extensive front-end damage with both air bags deployed and were dotted with blood.
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