Flood severely damages Jewish Community Pantry

July 26, 2010 4:22 p.m. | The Jewish Community Pantry building was severely damaged by more than four feet of water as a result of last week's storm and is closed for an undetermined period of time. The Pantry is located at 3033 W. Burleigh St., Milwaukee, one of the lowest lying streets in the area.

All contents of the pantry were lost and all services have ceased at this time. The pantry is actively searching for an alternative site in the 53210 zip code or surrounding area. The pantry serves over 1,500 people every month.

The Jewish Community Pantry is part of the Emergency Pantry Network of the Hunger Task Force and co-sponsored by the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center and Women's Division of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. The Pantry has been serving the needs of the community since 1976.

Individuals in need are advised to call "211" (IMPACT) for alternative sites and services.

Donations and inquiries including alternative business site for the Pantry should be directed to:

10 municipalities plus MMSD report sewer overflows

July 23, 2010 4:18 p.m. | Ten municipalities in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties, in addition to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, have reported separate sanitary sewer overflows of untreated wastewater to local waterways after Thursday's intense rains, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

The Milwaukee County communities reporting overflows Thursday include Brown Deer, Fox Point, Milwaukee, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay. Mequon was the only community in Ozaukee County to report an overflow as of Friday.

Waukesha County communities with overflow problems Thursday include Menomonee Falls, Muskego, Brookfield and the Lake Pewaukee Sanitary District, the DNR said in a water systems report Friday.

The metropolitan sewerage district's deep tunnels remained nearly full Friday afternoon so any of the district's regional sanitary sewers with high flows were continuing to spill untreated wastewater into local creeks, rivers and Lake Michigan for a second consecutive evening, district officials said. Combined sanitary and storm sewers in central Milwaukee and eastern Shorewood also were continuing to spill some of their volume as flows remained high Friday.

The mix of sewage and wastewater in the tunnels was being pumped out as quickly as possible and the district's two sewage treatment plants were operating at capacity Friday afternoon, MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer said Friday.

Flood kits, tetanus shots available for North Shore residents

July 23, 2010 1:02 p.m. | Flood clean-up kits and tetanus shots will be available for all Brown Deer, Glendale, River Hills, Fox Point and Bayside residents from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow at Brown Deer Village Hall, 4800 W. Green Brook Drive.

Help us select our All-Suburban Baseball Team and you could win Brewers tickets

July 23, 2010 8:23 a.m. | Voting has just begun for this season's NOW All-Suburban Baseball team, now in its 21st season, and we're asking fans to help us select the area's most outstanding baseball players, including the player and coach of the year.

One lucky fan who votes for this season's team will win a pair of Brewers tickets. Go online and check out our nominees and their stats, and then vote for the players you think are most deserving. You can vote once a day, and everyone who votes will be entered in a random drawing for a pair of box seats to a Milwaukee Brewers game.

Vote now

See last season's team

Willowbrook Place to offer resident assistance

July 20, 2010 10:40 a.m. | Willowbrook Place will add personal assistance services for residents, following a public hearing on the request last night.

The apartment complex will convert two large existing apartments into four smaller units for a total of 67 units, enlarge its kitchen, and become licensed as a residential care apartment complex in coming months.

Some residents support the change, which will allow certified nursing assistants to help residents who qualify for RCAC care with dressing, grooming and possibly bathing. They would also monitor and dispense medications for those residents. In addition, supportive care, such as housekeeping and laundry services and meals would be provided for those residents.

Other residents living in apartments in the building can also elect to have the supportive care. Housekeeping services are already offered at the complex.

Residents who supported the change said they do not currently need the services but recognize that the time may come when they might. Having the services will allows them to continue to stay in their apartment homes, they said.

Ninja suspect to stand trial in August for alleged assault

July 15, 2010 3:50 p.m. | River Hills — What happened in April in the woods behind Nicolet High School that led to the assault of a 14-year-old Bayside boy may finally come to light in a trial set for Aug. 6 in Milwaukee County Children's Court.

A 16-year-old River Hills boy, who allegedly dressed like a ninja and struck the victim over the right eye with a machete, has entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

The Bayside boy, along with three friends, entered the woods after school on April 27. The boys were looking for a person dressed like a ninja after hearing that two high school girls had been confronted by a boy the previous day. The Bayside boy, who was separated briefly from his companions, was assaulted by the River Hills boy, police say.

Because the case is in juvenile court, police reports and witness statements have not been made public, and what little is known about the has come out in pretrial hearings, mainly from statements made by the father of the suspect. The father said his son had a job clearing brush on a neighbor's property and was working there when the incident took place.

River Hills police recovered a machete, a bow and sword from the suspect's home at the time of his arrest.

8 communities plus MMSD report sewer overflows

July 15, 2010 1:26 p.m. | Milwaukee, Mequon, Wauwatosa, Cudahy, Shorewood, Brown Deer, Fox Point and Elm Grove - in addition to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District - reported sanitary sewer overflows to local waterways Thursday morning after overnight thunderstorms poured up to 5 inches of rain on the metropolitan area, a state environmental official said.

Sanitary sewer overflows generally prevent sewage backups into basements and reduce property damage, MMSD officials said.

Even so, overflows of separate sanitary sewers are prohibited by the federal Clean Water Act, said James Fratrick, watershed specialist with the Department of Natural Resources in Milwaukee.

But the DNR is not likely to take enforcement actions against MMSD and the eight municipalities, Fratrick said. The primary reason is that MMSD is under a court-ordered stipulation to complete an estimated $1 billion in sewer and treatment plant improvements by the end of this year, he said. The goal of making those improvements is to reduce the incidents of sanitary sewer overflows.

Communities served by the district are under a separate court order to decrease leaks of storm water into their sanitary sewers.

Group to offer free medical care in Ozaukee County next month

July 13, 2010 11:28 a.m. | A group of Ozaukee County residents is organizing an event to provide free medical care for the uninsured and underinsured next month, according to a news release from the group.

The event will be held Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grafton High School, 1950 Washington St., according to the news release.

The group, called 4Hope, will provide free health care services including medical, dental and child care. Free food and screening services will also be offered.

Although the event is geared toward residents in Ozaukee County, all are welcome, according to the news release.

Skilled health professionals who are interested in volunteering can visit for contact information.www.4hopewisconsin.com

Good news for sectional top seed Nicolet keeps coming in 16-5 rout of HHS

July 09, 2010 2:58 p.m. | The good news for the North Shore Conference runner-up Nicolet baseball team just kept coming last week, as the Knights finished a sweep of their final three North Shore Conference games, including a 16-5 decision over Homestead Thursday night.

That sweep allowed the Knights (13-5 in league play and 23-10 overall) to secure second place in the North Shore behind powerhouse West Bend West (15-1, 27-1).

Further, it was learned this week, that resting and nicked up starters outfielder Brian Huntsinger (leg) and Aaron Westling (facial injuries) should be ready to go for the upcoming WIAA tournament series.

Other encouraging personnel moves included finding out that substitutes Andrew Schneider (three RBI) and Peter Maric could be productive when thrust into starting roles as they were against Homestead.

And further, in an event that was no major surprise, the Knights were named the top seed in the WIAA sectional that will be hosted by Cedarburg. Nicolet will open with regional final play on July 20 when the Knights host eighth-seeded Shorewood at Stormonth at 5:30 p.m.

Ozaukee board passes Arizona apology resolution

July 07, 2010 5:56 p.m. | Port Washington - A slim majority of Ozaukee County Board supervisors Wednesday approved sending an apology to Arizona residents for the Milwaukee Area Technical College's economic boycott of that state in protest of an immigration control law.

On a 16-5 vote, the board approved a resolution describing the MATC action as "intolerant and divisive" and asking the college's board to reconsider its decision. There are 31 supervisors on the county board. In addition to the five no voters, seven supervisors walked out of the meeting before the vote and three others were absent.

An amendment to the resolution urges state lawmakers to review the process for appointing members of the MATC board.

In late May, the MATC board directed the college to boycott Arizona because of that state's new immigration control law.

The five county supervisors voting against the resolution were Rose Hass Leider, Thomas Richart, Kathlyn Callen, Patrick Marchese and Karl Hertz.

Mequon man claims lottery winnings

July 01, 2010 5:18 p.m. | A man from Mequon has become the state's latest millionaire.

Lottery officials said Paul Sims came forward Thursday with the lone winning ticket from this weekend's Megabucks game.

The jackpot was worth $2.3 million. Sims claimed his winnings as a one-time lump sum, which works out to $920,000 after taxes.

Sims bought his winning ticket at Dennis Mobil Mart in Brookfield. The store earns a $45,000 commission for selling the winner.

The last Megabucks jackpot winner was Al Mohrbacher Jr. of Racine. He won $7.5 million in March.

In battle of desperate squads, Bay baseball team outlasts HHS, 7-6

June 29, 2010 10:07 p.m. | Homestead baseball coach Ernie Millard called his squad and Whitefish Bay's "mirror images of each other" in the way they struggle to finish out games.

Millard knew what he was talking about Tuesday night, as immediately after the Highlanders turned in a heartening three-hit, three-run effort to take a 6-4 lead over the Blue Dukes in the top of the sixth inning of the North Shore game at Cahill Park in Bay, Homestead turned into its own worst enemy.

Homestead commited three costly errors and one crucial balk in allowing Bay to score three runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth and pull out a 7-6 win.

"It's the type of game we've played almost every single time out this season," said a distressed Millard. "We just have to find a way to finish games."

The loss ended a modest two-game winning streak for the Highlanders (4-9 in North Shore play and 8-13 overall).

Floodplain land purchase along Little Menomonee River OK'd

June 28, 2010 3:32 p.m. | More than 50 acres of floodplain along the Little Menomonee River in Mequon will be preserved as open space to store spring flood waters and provide spawning habitat for fish, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District officials said Monday.

The district's commission on Monday approved spending $290,000 to acquire 55 acres along the river, north of Mequon Road, from James Caughron.

The river flows through the center of the property. Though 42 acres are farmed, the land is prone to seasonal flooding.

The district will purchase the property through its Greenseams flood management program. The program buys lowland properties or acquires conservation easements restricting development of land with the goal of alleviating downstream flooding.

Soil at the Caughron property is peat, several feet thick, district landscape architect Steve McCarthy said. He will meet next week with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officials to discuss restoring native plants to the land.

Want to win Summerfest tickets? Head over to Twitter

June 24, 2010 10:20 a.m. | It's the opening day of Summerfest, and it's also your chance to win some free Summerfest tickets.

All you need to do is follow @MyCommunityNOW on Twitter and tweet the following: "Follow @MyCommunityNOW and RT this for a chance to win a pair of #Summerfest tickets."

We will be giving away a total of five pairs of tickets in two random drawings. The first drawing will be held at noon tomorrow. The second drawing will be held at noon on Wednesday. You have to tweet the message only once to be entered in both drawings.

Winners will be contacted on Twitter and will need to pick the tickets up at our office in Waukesha.

Lightning suspected in fire at Mequon shopping center

June 23, 2010 10:56 a.m. | Mequon - Multiple lightning strikes apparently caused a fire early Wednesday that destroyed much of the East Towne Square shopping center before dawn.

The 4:30 a.m. blaze in the shopping center at Port Washington and Towne Square roads severely damaged six businesses - Stefan's Soccer, 4 Seasons Nails & Spa, Gossip, Picardy Shoe Parlour, First Priority Printing and The Great Frame Up.

Percy's Linens & Gifts, just north of The Great Frame Up, still had an intact roof, as did the anchors on each end of the shopping center, an Allen Edmonds shoe store and a Starbucks coffee shop. Those stores had smoke and water damage.

Fire crews from Cedarburg, Germantown, the North Shore Fire Department, Thiensville, Grafton and Port Washington were called in to assist. No official information on the cause of the blaze had been released as of Wednesday night.

Structural damage was at least $1 million, according to Paula Symons, a spokeswoman for Sun Prairie-based General Casualty insurance.