- selected communitywatch item -
By MARY BUCKLEY
Feb. 02, 2010 11:36 a.m. | Those who want to garden in the village rights of way between the sidewalk and street and those who would like those areas to remain green pitched their cases to the Village Board on Monday in what became almost a three-hour listening session.
The board is considering an ordinance change or supplemental guidelines that would allow some gardening in those rights of way. The board has been considering a change since last spring when a resident's planting box initiated a discussion about what should - and should not - be allowed in the public area.
The changes or guidelines would allow plantings up to 24 inches tall, require a yearly plan be filed with the village, require the existing grade be maintained and the use of only hand tools for gardening. It would also establishes a variety of set backs, the use of Diggers hotline before digging in the rights of way and a requirement to hold the village harmless from liability. Other guidelines are also listed, but the changes would not allow any planting boxes in the rights of way.
A second set of guidelines under consideration would permit pavers in the rights of way but would continue to require a special privilege permit.
At the suggestion of Village President Guy Johnson, two trustees will work with village staff on a recommendation that will then go to the Buildings and Streets Committee before coming back to the board.
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By MARY BUCKLEY
Aug. 31, 2010 10:24 a.m. | Whitefish Bay police have arrested a Milwaukee man they believe is responsible for as many as seven burglaries in the village and neighboring Shorewood.
Police received a call of a prowler in the 1500 block of East Cumberland Boulevard about 1:30 a.m. Monday, according to police.
Responding officers located a suspect who matched the description provided by the caller and arrested him. The facts of this incident closely resemble recent entries to residences in both Whitefish Bay and Shorewood in which homes were entered by cutting first floor window screens at night while residents slept.
Police Chief Robert Jacobs said there were four incidents in Whitefish Bay and three in Shorewood in recent weeks.
The suspect remains in custody, and charges are being sought through the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
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Aug. 31, 2010 8:33 a.m. | Today's TMJ4 is reporting that a 42-year-old man arrested for breaking into several homes in the North Shore while the homeowners were sleeping.
Police said the suspect was arrested around 1:30 a.m. on Monday after they received a call about a prowler in the 1500 block of East Cumberland Boulevard in Whitefish Bay.
For more on this story, visit Today's TMJ4's website.
By MARY BUCKLEY
Aug. 26, 2010 12:43 p.m. | 
We Energies is continuing repairs on a gas main that was hit by contractors working on East Capitol Drive at Maryland Avenue around 11 a.m.
Spokesman Brian Manthey said gas is no longer blowing from inside the main as of 11:45 a.m.
"There have been no injuries or evacuation," Manthey said.
North Shore Fire Department Battalion Chief Rick Boehlke said one crew is at the scene.
Aug. 26, 2010 12:18 p.m. | We're just hours away from the first official games of the 2010 high school football season and there is no better way to find out the latest news on your favorite team then to check out NOW's comprehensive football preview page.
The page is packed with videos on area teams, a roundtable discussion from our sportswriters previewing the top teams to watch, position by position breakdowns, an interactive poll, photo gallery and more.
Go to NOW's 2010 football preview section.
By
Tom Tolan and
Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 23, 2010 11:46 p.m. | Basement flooding in Whitefish Bay over the weekend was caused by somebody popping a sanitary sewer manhole cover, presumably to drain a flooded street, according to a statement from the village government.
Meanwhile, the Shorewood Village Board on Monday night adopted a plan laying out steps the village will take following serious flooding there last month.
Both North Shore suburbs suffered some of the worst damage in the massive flooding that hit Milwaukee County on July 15 and 22.
The release from Whitefish Bay said that one of the contractors working on E. Fairmount Ave. street and sewer construction discovered Saturday morning that somebody had tampered with and dislodged a sanitary manhole cover at Fairmount and Cumberland Blvd.
Village Manager James Grassman was sharply critical of whoever had popped the manhole cover, though he conceded they might have thought they were helping.
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Aug. 12, 2010 8:04 a.m. | With just a few days left of the Wisconsin State Fair, you still have time to score free tickets from NOW Newspapers.
All you have to do is "like" NOW Newspapers on Facebook and respond to our last status update and tell us your favorite story from our papers this week.
A random drawing will be held at 8 a.m. Friday and announced on Facebook.
Winners will receive a four-pack of tickets to the fair, which begins runs to Sunday. Winners will have to pick up the tickets in our Waukesha office, 1741 Dolphin Drive, Suite A, 53186.
By
Becky Vevea of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 09, 2010 10:39 p.m. | Shorewood — Frustrated Shorewood residents expressed outrage Monday night at the Village Board for not fixing the sewer systems more than 10 years ago when flooding problems started.
People packed the basement of the Shorewood Village Center to address flooding in the northwest area of Shorewood, among the hardest hit in last month's storm. The meeting was one of four set to get feedback from the community regarding flood damage and sewer backups.
"Other than a moat, I don't know what else we can do," said resident Lynne Belcher. "This is not funny, it's destroying our homes. You've ruined this summer, please don't ruin next summer."
Belcher and more than 30 others spoke about flooding in their homes, with many citing flood problems as far back as 1997.
Thirteen years later, the problems have only gotten worse, they said.
» Read Full Article
By Adam Mccoy
Aug. 05, 2010 10:30 p.m. | 
A standing-room only crowd of more than 100 people packed a meeting room at the Shorewood Library Thursday night and peppered officials with questions and complaints about the severe flooding that hit the community last month.
Some residents at the meeting, the first of four town hall sessions on the flooding in the village, held signs that read "Sewerwood" or branded biohazard symbols. Complaints also were heard over the lack of seating as residents lined the wall of the room.
Frustrated residents like Mary Jo Kukoda said the village didn't do enough during the floods that caused at least $1.5 million in damage and affected hundreds of homes.
"Shame on the village of Shorewood, shame on you," Kukoda said.
Other residents asked about potential health issues associated with sewer water in basements and wondered why the village didn't answer phone calls on the Monday following flooding.
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Aug. 02, 2010 7:55 a.m. | We've just posted C.T. Kruger's photo gallery that shows some of the damage in Shorewood that occurred due to the torrential storms that hit the area July 22.
The Shorewood Police Department sustained damage, as did the the high school and intermediate school. Portions of Hubbard Park are still inaccessible.
Go to NOW photojournalist C.T. Kruger's photo gallery.
July 30, 2010 9:52 a.m. | There's still time to help us select the best players and coach in the area for our 2010 NOW All-Suburban Baseball Team, but you need to get your votes in before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
Check out our nominees and their stats, and then vote for the players and coaches 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
By MARY BUCKLEY
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:
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Flooding hits the North Shore
Five North Shore police departments are teaming up on a new blog that provides residents with the crime prevention and safety tips, and news about community service projects and events throughout the area.
