Woman lose $7,400 in apparent Internet scheme
A 31-year-old Muskego woman has apparently been duped out of more than $7,000 - money that she thought she was sending to a man she had met on an online dating site.
The victim told Muskego police that she and the man had exchanged photos and messages for months, and she thought they were going to get married.
The man claimed he worked for the FBI and said he needed money for a trip to Nigeria. At his request, she made two wire transfers last week to Nigeria totaling $7,420.
After the money was transferred, the woman was contacted by a man claiming to be her boyfriend’s representative. He told her that her boyfriend and his two children had died in an automobile accident and that she would not be getting her money back.
Police said they are investigating the incident, but there is little chance the money will be recovered.
Muskego group drops all recall efforts
Muskego - A citizen group reversed itself on Tuesday and is dropping its effort to recall Ald. Keith Werner, just two days after it said it would proceed with the recall even though Werner was resigning from office.
The move came after Werner moved up his resignation to Monday from about three weeks earlier than the June 2 resignation date he announced earlier this month.
The group, Muskego for Ethical Government, dropped the recall in the wake of harsh criticism from Werner.
It is an about-face for the group that on Sunday night :said it was suspending efforts to recall Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti and Ald. Neome Schaumberg, but proceeding with the Werner effort.
The recall was launched in late March against the three in part over their failure to hold a referendum on a proposal to purchase lakefront property for a park. The group cited other reasons, including irresponsible financial decision making, for the recalls.
» Read Full ArticleWerner vacates Muskego alderman seat sooner than expected
Muskego Alderman Keith Werner resigned Monday, nearly three weeks earlier than was expected based on his previous statements.
In his official resignation letter this week, Werner said he was vacating the seat earlier to save the city the cost of a recall election, though that issue was uncertain for the moment. He had previously set June 2 as his resignation date, which would have come after the deadline for a recall petition that was expected to be filed by the group Muskego for Ethical Government.
MEG group members targeted Werner for recall effort because, among other things, they are unhappy that the 4th District alderman did not vote to put the controversial lake park proposal to a referendum. More than 3,400 people signed a petition asking for a referendum.
The deadline for filing the recall petition is the end of May. If Werner's resignation had been effective June 2, a recall election would have had to be held. With his resignation coming before the recall petition is filed, the way might be clear for the Common Council to appoint a successor, although that is unclear at this time.
City Clerk Sharon Mueller said she probably would know sometime today what is legally called for. The attorney the city hired to help it through the recall process is working with the state Government Accountability Board to determine whether an election is needed or if the council can appoint a successor. The council normally fills vacancies through appointment. Werner's term expires in April 2013.
Missing man located, New Berlin police say
A developmentally disabled man missing since Monday afternoon was located Monday night, New Berlin police said.
Jeffrey R. Hays, 30, had been missing since 1 p.m. from Next in Step Residential Services, 16208 W. Rogers Drive, police said.
A police news release reporting that Hays was located provided no additional information.
Bid to reduce Waukesha County board position hits bumps
Waukesha - A suggestion that the new Waukesha County Board chairman's job could be reduced to half time as soon as this month appears to have been overly ambitious.
Newly elected Chairman Paul Decker of Hartland, a business owner who took on the chairmanship in the belief that the board would vote to reduce the job to part time, got a mixed reaction to the change Monday from the County Board's Executive Committee.
Decker himself said that in his first four weeks in the office, he's learned the job is bigger and more time-consuming than he had expected, even as he tries to bring technological efficiencies to the County Board office operation.
He's asked staff to prepare information on the leadership responsibilities and comparisons with other counties. He'll schedule more discussion at future Executive Committee meetings, he said.
Supervisor Patricia Haukohl of Brookfield, the board's vice chairman who heads the Finance Committee, said at Monday's meeting that she didn't want to see the chairman's job diminished when it should be an equal partner with the executive and judicial branches of county government.
» Read Full ArticleMuskego recall effort now limited to Werner's seat
Muskego for Ethical Government has dropped its recall efforts against Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti and Alderwoman Neome Schaumberg but will file a recall petition against Alderman Keith Werner.
Debra Bolton, MEG treasurer, said in a press release that the group has the signatures needed to recall Werner and will file the petition shortly.
The release explains: "In an effort to balance the needs of those frustrated over not being heard with the needs of those tired of recalls, MEG will suspend its efforts to recall Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti and Ald. Neome Schaumberg. It is the sincere hope of Muskego for Ethical Government that these two officials have now received enough feedback from our citizens to eliminate the need to resume these recalls."
The group acknowledges that Werner has announced he intends to resign as of June 2, more than a week after the recall petition filing deadline. But in the release, MEG said the group wanted to follow through on a recall to give voters a chance to select a successor, which MEG felt was consistent with the initial intent of the recall.
Muskego recall group drops effort on 2 of 3 officials
Muskego - The group seeking to recall Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti and Ald. Neome Schaumberg said Monday that it is suspending its efforts to remove them from office.
However, the group said it will proceed with efforts to recall Ald. Keith Werner, even though Werner this month said he was resigning effective June 2.
Werner, who was re-elected to a two-year term in April 2011, said May 1 that he was stepping down because he was taking on additional responsibilities at work and would have less time to represent his District 4 constituents.
Muskego for Ethical Government launched the recall in late March against the three over their failure to hold a referendum on a proposal to purchase lakefront property for a park.
In February, the group filed a petition with about 3,400 signatures that sought the referendum on the proposed $3.55 million purchase of two Little Muskego Lake parcels along Janesville Road for a park.
» Read Full ArticleNew Berlin man charged with sexually assaulting his granddaughter
A 53-year-old New Berlin man was charged with two counts of first degree sexual assault of a child, one count of second degree sexual assault of a child and 15 counts of possession of child pornography.
He was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Wednesday with inappropriately touching his granddaughter since the age of 3. She is now 13.
All the charges are felonies.
NOW is not releasing the man's name to protect the identity of his granddaughter.
A preliminary hearing is set for June 15.
New Berlin factory will produce fast-charging stations for EVs
ABB is developing charging technology for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that will be manufactured in New Berlin.
The Dutch firm, which employs 500 people in southeastern Wisconsin, is bringing to the United States a fast-charging system that it developed first in Europe.
The Terra 51 Direct Current fast charger for electric vehicles, shown below, can charge electric vehicles in 15 to 30 minutes, compared with charging times of up to four to eight hours for other charging station technologies, ABB said.
The charging station is being showcased this week at the International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles.
» Read Full ArticleMuskego Alderman Werner, subject of a recall effort, resigns
Muskego Alderman Keith Werner, who is a subject of a recall effort, has resigned effective June 2.
In his resignation letter, he wrote, "During the course of the month of May, I will be taking on additional responsibilities with my full time employer which may reduce my availability to represent the constituents of District 4."
Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti, also a target of a recall effort, said Werner has been struggling for months to make Common Council meetings after his work schedule changed to evenings.
Werner was elected last year to a two-year term representing District 4, and it is unclear how the vacancy will be filled. Ordinarily, the council would appoint a successor. But the recall effort might change that, Chiaverotti said.
The recall effort is mainly over his voting with a majority of the council to not put a controversial proposal to create a park on Little Muskego Lake to a referendum. Such a referendum was called for in a petition signed by more than 3,400 residents.
» Read Full ArticleMayor charges unfair tactics in recall effort
Muskego Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti has issued a statement that she believes she is being misrepresented by the people circulating a recall petition against her.
"After being contacted by residents of Muskego, it has come to my attention that the recall group, Muskego for Ethical Government, is going door to door implying that I signed the Walker Recall Petition," she wrote. "Nothing could be further from the truth."
"This can be verified at http://www.putwisconsinfirst.com and you will not find my signature on the Walker Recall Petition," Chiaverotti wrote.
She went on to be critical of the group conducting the recall.
"It's time for the residents of Muskego to understand that this group will say whatever it takes to get their signatures for a recall and to imply that I signed the Walker Recall is absolutely ludicrous."
» Read Full ArticleApplicants turn out for New Berlin housing development
About 100 people, some showing up at 2 a.m., turned out Thursday to apply for residency at the City Center at Deer Creek housing development in New Berlin, according to the project developer.
One of four 34-unit buildings will be ready for occupancy by Sept. 1, with the other three ready by November, said Patrick Shanahan, a vice president of asset management for MSP Real Estate.
Eighty-six of the first 102 units at the development, at 15155 W. National Ave., are being marketed as affordable housing units, reserved for multifamily residents earning no more than 60% of the median income of Waukesha County, according to information provided by MSP.
The fourth building, also affordable housing, will be available to seniors 55 and older, Shanahan said.
All applicants will be subject to credit and criminal background checks and will be required to provide rental references, he said.
» Read Full ArticleMuskego-Norway selects new superintendent
The Muskego-Norway School Board has voted to select Assistant Superintendent Kelly M. Thompson as the district's next superintendent, School Board President Jim Schaefer said Tuesday.
Thompson, who has been with the district for 19 years, would take over from Superintendent Joe Schroeder on July 1. Schroeder is set to resign June 30 to become associate executive director of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.
Schaefer said Tuesday that the the board is still working out the details of Thompson's new contract, including salary.
Thompson has worked in the Muskego-Norway School District as coordinator of pupil services, high school associate principal and director of instruction.
Assistant Superintendent Kelly Thompson to lead Muskego-Norway
The Muskego-Norway School Board selected Assistant Superintendent Kelly Thompson as its new superintendent. Thompson succeeds Joe Schroeder who is resigning effective June 30 after five years of service to become associate executive director of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.
Thompson has served the district for 19 years in various roles including coordinator of pupil services, high school associate principal, and director of instruction before becoming assistant superintendent.
In a news release announcing the board's appointment, School Board President James Schaefer said: "Dr. Thompson's knowledge of our district, our goals and our initiatives make her uniquely qualified to carry the district forward.
"Her mission-driven approach to continuous improvement will help the Muskego-Norway Schools progress on our journey to being the district of choice in southeastern Wisconsin," Schaefer said.
In the news release, Schroeder called her a fabulous choice and said, "Dr. Kelly Thompson is an exceptionally dedicated and capable learning leader, who is also an individual of the highest personal integrity."
Dispatching meetings moves to New Berlin City Hall
New Berlin's informational meetings on the pros and cons of switching police and fire dispatching to the Waukesha County Communications Center have been moved to the New Berlin City Hall, 3805 S. Casper Drive.
They had been scheduled for the Public Safety Building.
The meetings will be at 6 p.m. Thursdays, May 3 and 17. The half-hour presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
Waukesha County collection drive draws 2.8 tons of unneeded medications
Waukesha - The Waukesha County collection of unused and unneeded prescription drugs brought in 5,715 pounds - about 2.8 tons worth - at seven collection sites Saturday, the county executive's office reported Monday.
The Waukesha County Drug Free Communities program sponsored the four-hour collection effort in order to keep drugs out of the area water supply and out of the hands of potential abusers. Saturday's was the fourth collection in three years with a total of nearly 9 tons of drugs collected for proper disposal in the combined efforts. .
Julianne Davan, executive assistant to County Executive Dan Vrakas, said about 2,500 vehicles representing 3,296 households delivered medications for disposal Saturday. The majority were first-time visitors, she said.
A separate collection drive conducted by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District at Miller Park in Milwaukee collected 3,443 pounds of medications.
