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Waukesha tax bills are out
Posted by: | CommentsThe City of Waukesha has mailed 21,387 tax bills to residents.
The tax rate is $20.1130 per thousand of assessed valuation, which is an increase of 2.08% from 2008, according city clerk/treasuser Tom Neill.
Waukesha man incompetent to stand trial in stabbing death
Posted by: | CommentsThis from Mike Johnson of Journal Sentinel
Waukesha - A 50-year-old Waukesha man charged in the June 16 stabbing death of his girlfriend was found incompetent to stand trial and was committed Thursday to the state Department of Health Services for mental health treatment.
Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge James R. Kieffer determined during a hearing that Daniel K. Christesen requires the involuntary administration of psychotropic medications and treatment, according to online court records.
Christesen’s attorney, Donna Kuchler, said that Christesen will be sent to a secure state mental health institution, either Mendota or Winnebago.
It is expected that with treatment, Christesen could be competent to stand trial within 12 months, Deputy District Attorney Stephen J. Centinario Jr. said.
Kieffer scheduled a June 11 hearing on the case to review then whether Christesen is fit to stand trial.
But Centinario said Christesen will be re-evaluated after three months and the hearing date could be moved up from June.
Christesen is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Carol Fisher, 55. He is accused of repeatedly stabbing her with a 10-inch butcher knife in his Waukesha apartment.
Fisher, 55, and Christesen lived in separate flats in a duplex in the 900 block of Arcadian Ave. in Waukesha.
Police say Christesen contacted them the evening of June 16, saying he fatally stabbed Fisher in his flat.
Christesen peacefully surrendered to police, a Bible in one hand, a phone in the other, the complaint says. He asked emergency medical personnel: “Do you think I will go to hell for this?”
According to the criminal complaint, Christesen said he stabbed Fisher because he had grown tired of her constant arguing.
She had written him a note days earlier, saying she was leaving him, the document says. He admitted he had not taken all his psychiatric medications that day, the complaint says.
Lake Michigan water sale to Waukesha backed by some Milwaukee officials
Posted by: | CommentsThe Journal Sentinel reports some Milwaukee water officials favor selling lake water to Waukesha.
A Milwaukee Common Council committee called Wednesday for the city to formally declare its interest in selling water to Waukesha.
Environmentalists and civil rights advocates urged the panel to wait until the state Department of Natural Resources has written rules to govern the process. But aldermen and Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Carrie Lewis said the resolution was needed to keep the city in competition with Racine and Oak Creek to supply water to Waukesha.
Waukesha is seeking to buy Lake Michigan water to replace its groundwater wells, which are contaminated with radium. Because the community is outside the Great Lakes basin – but in a county that straddles the subcontinental divide – the Great Lakes Compact requires it to follow an intricate application process that includes winning the approval of all eight Great Lakes governors.
As part of that application process, Waukesha officials have asked communities willing to sell water to Waukesha to submit letters of interest by Jan. 31. Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson said his city already has received letters of interest from the Racine and Oak Creek water utilities.
But Waukesha officials prefer to buy water from Milwaukee for cost reasons. Milwaukee’s water already is distributed to nearby suburbs, and the connection would not require miles of new pipeline.
As endorsed by the Milwaukee council’s Public Works Committee, Milwaukee’s letter would spell out the compact’s requirement for Waukesha to develop a plan to return water to the Great Lakes basin.
Waukesha is already working on a plan to do that, using Underwood Creek. The water return plan is crucial to the deal, said Ald. Michael Murphy and Leslie Silletti, an aide to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Environmental advocates Jodi Habush Sinykin and Peter McAvoy said the application would be premature without DNR rules governing the process. Barrett and Murphy originally wanted to wait for the DNR rules, too. But Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank has said the compact provides sufficient guidance to move forward without the rules.
Ald. Bob Bauman, the committee chairman, accused the DNR of “foot-dragging,” and Murphy said the department was being swayed by “political winds” rather than science.
The letter also would reiterate Milwaukee’s policy linking water sales to a suburb’s land use, affordable housing and public transit.
Karyn Rotker, attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, accused Waukesha of moving backward on affordable housing. She said the city’s Plan Commission had supported reducing the number of apartments in the housing mix, despite warnings that the move could disproportionately affect minorities.
Nelson said he would be sharing information on Waukesha’s housing mix and transportation programs with Milwaukee officials as they continue to discuss a water sale. He said his city offers more apartments and other affordable housing than any other Waukesha County community and is likely second only to the city of Milwaukee in the metropolitan area.
The criticism might have been spurred by a long-term goal of increasing the number of owner-occupied homes and condos in the city by 5% in the next 20 years, he said.
Nelson described the committee’s action as “a first step toward a positive response from Milwaukee.” He has been meeting with city officials in recent weeks to discuss the project and is optimistic that the Milwaukee council will agree to send the letter, he said.
Waukesha is not yet asking the three possible suppliers to make a commitment, Nelson said. When the Waukesha Common Council early next year approves an application for Great Lakes water, Nelson said, he will begin seriously negotiating with a seller.
Lewis, Bauman and Milwaukee council President Willie Hines Jr. also said the letter would just start the process and that details would be worked out in negotiations. The full Milwaukee council will consider the issue Dec. 22.
Waukesha County emergency shelters now open
Posted by: | CommentsFor those without power due to the winter weather, Waukesha County shelters are available to provide warmth and shelter, according to Ellen Nowak , the county’s chief of staff.
County Executive Dan Vrakas says there have been reports of numerous homes without power throughout the county, and based on weather forecasts for Wednesday evening and Thursday, temperatures are expected to drop to the single digits and wind chills below zero.
Those seeking shelter should dial 2-1-1. This service will provide local information on available lodging. Your call to 2-1-1 is free and confidential, and is available throughout Wisconsin. 2-1-1 service is available 24 hours 7 days per week. If your cellular provider does not allow calls to 2-1-1, please call (877) 947-2211 or (262) 547-3388.
School redistricting on Wed. board agenda
Posted by: | CommentsThe School Board will consider three high-profile topics at its Wednesday meeting at 7 p.m. at the Lindholm Building, 222 W. Maple Ave.
It will examine administration’s recommendations to change feeder patterns for middle schools beinning in the 2010-2011 school year. It will consider the open-choice period for the new STEM School beginning in January, and it will consider changing the health insurance provider for emplyees, which they were notified of late Friday.
The feeder issue is linked to the controversial proposal to close three elementary school, including the largely Hispanic White Rock.
Here are parts of the explanatory letter from Superintendent Todd Gray:
The primary reason for this plan is to provide an improved educational structure for all students. A secondary reason is to proactively plan for operating efficiencies and budget constraints in the coming years.
The district has held community input sessions to provide additional information, answer questions, and provide an opportunity to offer feedback to the Board of Education prior to their final decision. A number of parent recommendations will be implemented in this plan.
Building Repurpose:
Randall will close as an attendance area school and become a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) school. Students within the Randall attendance area will go to neighboring attendance areas.
Saratoga will close as an attendance area school and become a grade 6-8 STEM annex. Students within the Saratoga attendance area will go to Whittier or Rose Glen.
White Rock will close as an attendance area school. The site will be used for alternative education programs, iQ Academy and administration. Many of the White Rock attendance area students will go to their neighborhood schools. Students receiving ESL/Bilingual services may receive services in their attendance area school or another school dependent on type of service needed.
La Casa de Esperanza, Waukesha’s Hispanic community agency disapproves of the proposed changes for White Rock.
Pleasant Hill will close as an attendance area school and may or may not remain vacant for one year while a district team explores possible use as a future charter school site. Pleasant Hill attendance area will go to Hillcrest.
The Lindholm Office will close as a district building. Administration will be moved to White Rock building during the 2011-2012 school year.
Dual Language programs provide instruction in Spanish to both English and Spanish speaking students. This allows students to learn a second language. The program will continue at Banting and is proposed to begin at Bethesda in 2010.
Developmental Bilingual Programs provide instruction for students that speak Spanish as their primary language. The program will continue at Blair and begin at Heyer. The program at Banting and Whittier may be phased out over time.
Intensive ESL Programs provide instruction for students that speak a primary language other than English. The program will continue at Hadfield and may begin at Hawthorne.
Waukesha senior dining centers to consolidate
Posted by: | CommentsThe Waukesha County Aging and Disability Resource Center of Waukesha County will consolidate its three senior dining centers in the Waukesha to one.
As of Jan. 1, 2010, the La Casa Village senior dining center will be the single senior dining center in the city and the centers currently located in the Saratoga Heights and Willow Park apartment buildings will close.
Additionally, the Waukesha County Exposition Center will house the Home Delivered Meal program within the City of Waukesha. As of Jan. 1, all meals will be assembled at and distributed from the Expo Center.
The consolidation, which became finalized with the passage of the Waukesha County 2010 budget in November, is part of an effort to increase efficiency, minimize costs and allow for future growth of the home delivered meal program which, over the past few years, has seen consistent and progressive growth.
Seniors, age 60 and over, previously receiving meals at Saratoga Heights and Willow Park locations, are able to attend the senior dining center at La Casa Village.
All Waukesha County residents age 60 and over, regardless of income, are eligible to receive the meals, which are funded by the federal government through the “Older Americans Act,” at senior dining centers. Transportation may be available for $1, each way, for seniors to attend the dining center. Homebound seniors are encouraged to contact the ADRC regarding home delivery of the meals.
“It was a very difficult decision to make these changes,” said Cathy Bellovary, Director of the ADRC, “but the decision was made strategically. After thorough deliberation, the La Casa Village senior dining center was chosen because it is a community friendly center with a large room available for future growth, plenty of parking and availability five days a week.”
Bellovary said that La Casa de Esperanza, the organization which owns and operates La Casa Village, has been a longtime partner of Waukesha County and the ADRC.
Seniors with questions about the senior dining center changes or those who would like information regarding meals through the home delivered meal program are encourage to contact the ADRC by calling 262-548-7848.
Waukesha man charged with homicide in driving death of Vernon man
Posted by: | CommentsThis from Journal Sentinel:
Christopher M. Conner, 20, of Waukesha, was charged Friday with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle stemming from an early morning crash Tuesday that killed passenger Michael Zippel, 23, of Vernon.
According to the criminal complaint, Conner told police at the scene that he had had five beers before driving off Cheri Ave. at Sunset View Drive in Vernon shortly before 2 a.m. Dec. 1. The car traveled down a ditch, became airborne and hit a large tree about 7 feet off the ground before coming to rest 300 feet from the tree, the complaint says.
Zippel, who was in the back seat, was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene from internal injuries. Conner and passenger Lauren Thiesenhusen, 19, of Waukesha, were treated for minor injuries.
Judge J. Mac Davis set cash bail of $250,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Dec. 10.
The felony carries punishment of up to 25 years in prison and up to $100,000 fine, plus loss of driving privileges for five years.
Conner was also charged with two misdemeanors – drunken driving causing injury, in connection with Thiesenhusen’s injuries and possession of marijuana, which emergency personnel said they found on him as they transported him to a hospital.
Bike rider snatches woman’s purse in Waukesha
Posted by: | CommentsA woman had her purse snatched by a passing male bicyclist around 9 p.m. Wednesday while she walking east bound on the sidewalk on Sunset Drive, near East Ave., Waukesha police blotter says
The man riding a dark colored mountain bike came at her and grabbed the purse. He was wearing dark clothes and white shoes, the police bloytter says.
Police used dog to try and track down the bicyclist, but he was not found.
Waukesha water meeting delayed
Posted by: | CommentsThis from Don Behm of JS.
Mayor Larry Nelson has canceled a Dec. 8 public hearing and special Common Council meeting on the city’s proposed switch to Lake Michigan water.
The meeting will be rescheduled in early January to give city staff more time to complete a draft application, officials said.
Waukesha intends to seek the approval of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and each of the governors of the seven other Great Lakes states to buy Lake Michigan water.
It would cost the city around $78 million to make the switch from ground water wells to a lake supply. The price tag includes building a pipeline to discharge treated wastewater to Underwood Creek in Wauwatosa.
One piece of the application that was not done in time for a Dec. 8 meeting is an analysis of the impact to Underwood Creek’s water quality if the city discharges to the small stream.
Underwood Creek is a tributary of the Menomonee River and the waterways would return the treated waste water back to Lake Michigan, as required under a Great Lakes protection compact.
United Way in Waukesha County extends fund drive
Posted by: | CommentsThis in from the Business Journal:
With only 10 days left in its fundraising campaign, United Way of Greater Milwaukee officials said Tuesday that it is still $5 million short of its $45 million target.
The organization said it has so far raised $40,342,057, or 89.6 percent of goal. The United Way reports more unexpected losses than anticipated, specifically in the small-to-medium business sector. As a result, the campaign overall is running 1.4 percent behind last year.
The United Way campaign, which raises funds for social and human services programming that serves hundreds of thousands of Milwaukee-area residents, ends Dec. 10.
To help with its final push for donations, United Way of Greater Milwaukee is launching “Give $10. Inspire $100.”, a grassroots strategy encouraging people to give an additional or new end-of-campaign gift of $10 and to ask 10 friends to do the same.
“Today’s urgency to give translates to community results in 2010,” said Elizabeth Brenner, president and publisher, Journal Sentinel Inc. and 2009 United Way of Greater Milwaukee Community Campaign co-chair. “A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that in 2008 nearly 20 percent of American households worried that their food would run out before they had money to buy more.”
Because of slow fundraising and greater need, the United Way in Waukesha County extended its campaign by another month. That campaign, however, still had more than half of its $5.14 million goal to raise with just two weeks remaining before its last day Nov. 30. In mid-November, organizers extended the campaign to Dec. 31.
