Lied's to close its retail garden center

March 16, 2010 11:46 a.m. | Sussex-based Lied's said Tuesday it will close its retail garden center to focus on its landscape design, development and maintenance business.

The change is a strategic shift for the 40-year-old, third-generation, family-owned firm, said company president Robb Lied.

"The dynamics of the marketplace have changed greatly with retailing," he said. "There's more competition out there in the marketplace."

Like businesses across America, the company, at N63-W22039 Highway 74 in Waukesha County, has had to adapt to the recession and to changes in consumer spending and behavior.

"We look at this as where our strengths are moving forward and how we can best serve our clients," Lied said. "The majority of our clients over time have not been utilizing our retail operations. The majority of our clients are in our design and installation and maintenance."

Officials oppose state bills taking control of sex offender residency restrictions

March 16, 2010 10:34 a.m. | Menomonee Falls has joined other communities in opposing proposed state legislation intended to prohibit local governments from enacting and enforcing sex offender residency restriction and child safety zone ordinances.

The village enacted a sex offender restriction and child safety zone ordinance in 2007. An offender, meaning a person who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense and/or a crime against children, cannot reside within 1,500 feet of any facilities for children, including playgrounds, schools and day care centers. Other facilities include parks and the library.

Further, no offender is allowed in designated child safety zones within the village, including parks, the library, playgrounds, schools and day care centers.

However, Senate Bill 548 and Assembly Bill 759 would negate those local controls. They note that the Department of Corrections maintains active lifetime Global Positioning System tracking of sex offenders, and creates areas where offenders are prohibited from entering and areas they are prohibited from leaving. Prohibited areas include schools, day care centers, playgrounds, parks and published school bus stops.

Franklin is spearheading a campaign to defeat the bills, and leaders have reached out to other communities, including Falls, asking for support in vocalizing opposition.

Waukesha County signals 'keep us out' of RTA

March 15, 2010 5:24 p.m. | Waukesha - None of the competing legislative plans for a new regional transit authority in southeastern Wisconsin requires that Waukesha, Ozaukee or Washington Counties be members, though in some proposals the counties could vote to opt in.

In an affirmation of the "keep us out of it" principle, the Waukesha County Board's Executive Committee unanimously voted Monday to endorse a resolution objecting to the county's inclusion in any regional transit authority unless the Waukesha County Board votes to participate.

In the event that happens, the county wants to be able to back out with one year's notice, according to a resolution that will be sent to the County Board March 23.

The resolution follows a similar action by the Washington County Board in February.

In both cases, the counties' resolutions say that the counties have limited public transit services, no planned routes for commuter rail, no potential for major property tax relief from new transit revenue sources and prefer continued county governance of local transit services.

Menomonee Falls vs. Arrowhead photo gallery now online

March 14, 2010 7:47 a.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery featuring more than 25 images from last night's dramatic sectional-final contest between No. 2 Menomonee Falls and No. 1 Arrowhead.

Arrowhead scored a basket in the final seconds and a game-winning 3-pointer by Falls rimmed out as the Warhawks advanced,50-48, to the state quarterfinals in Madison.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

Falls' season ends with tough loss to Arrowhead

March 13, 2010 9:53 p.m. | The Menomonee Falls boys basketball season came to a crashing halt Saturday night - a 50-48 loss to Arrowhead in a Division 1 sectional final before a packed Al McGuire Center on Saturday.

Michael Skarie drove the paint and scored with 3 seconds left to give Arrowhead the lead. Falls (21-4) ran the length of the floor in the time that remained, and John Cording's pull-up 3-pointer from the top of the key rimmed short.

JP Tokoto scored 23 points for Falls and hauled in 10 rebounds, but the Indians were limited to 28 percent shooting.

Still, Falls led by 1 point with 1:04 to play after Adam Rubatt buried a 3-pointer, and Andy Fox hit two free throws to give the lead back to the Warhawks. Tokoto split a pair of freebies with 21 seconds left, leading into the Warhawks' final possession.

Arrowhead (22-3) will face Verona in the WIAA quarterfinals Thursday at the Kohl Center in Madison, with tip scheduled for approximately 8:45 p.m.

You can sign up now for our live blog from tonight's Menomonee Falls vs. Arrowhead sectional final

March 13, 2010 12:20 p.m. | Lake Country Publications' JR Radcliffe will be at court side tonight providing commentary and analysis when No. 2 Menomonee Falls takes on No. 1 Arrowhead with a berth in next week's state quarterfinals on the line.

You can sign up now to receive an e-mail reminder before the blog goes live. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

Falls advanced to tonight's contest with a 74-61 victory over rival and third-seeded Germantown on Friday night. Arrowhead advanced with a 64-32 triumph over Waukesha West.

Menomonee Falls, Germantown boys basketball photos now online

March 13, 2010 7:44 a.m. | Menomonee Falls defeated rival Germantown, 74-61, in a sectional semifinal game last night before a packed house at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee and we've just posted a photo gallery from the game.

With the victory, Falls advances to take on Arrowhead at 7:30 tonight with a berth in the state finals on the line.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

Depth wins out as Indians outlast Warhawks in sectional

March 12, 2010 10:49 p.m. | That's the problem with playing the Menomonee Falls boys basketball team.

You can withstand theiir first charge, maybe their second and possibly even their third, but in the end their depth will get you, and that's exactly what a game Germantown squad found out Friday night in the second half of the WIAA sectional semifinal at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, as 10 players scored for Falls in a 74-61 victory.

Germantown (18-7) had fought the Indians (21-3) tenaciously in the first half, taking a 31-29 lead into the break, but fatigue was beginning to wear on the Warhawks. They even stood up to Falls' initial surge in the second half, when the Indians made five of their first six shots to take a 39-35 lead.

No matter, two free throws by Zak Showalter and a hoop by Malcolm Bowers tied the game up for Germantown at the 3:46 mark of the period.

But when Joe Henningsen then drained two free throws and Jalen Ramey (12 points) hit a drive that made it 43-39 Falls, Germantown had no more answers and would never lead again.

$500,000 bail set in alleged sex assault of Falls teen

March 11, 2010 4:36 p.m. | Bail was set at $500,000 Thursday for a 48-year-old Brookfield man charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he met at a Menomonee Falls gas station last weekend.

According to a criminal complaint, Sunil K. Singh talked the Menomonee Falls girl into getting into a car Saturday before getting her drunk, groping her and driving to an apartment building in the 11000 block of W. Meinecke Ave. in Wauwatosa.

According to the complaint, Singh threatened to kill the girl before dragging her by the wrist into the basement of the building, where he beat her and forced her into sex.

The girl managed to escape to a nearby apartment, where a resident called police.

Singh admitted to police that he provided the girl with alcohol, had sex with her and slapped her several times to keep her from crying.

Germantown police seek witnesses in overdose deaths

March 11, 2010 12:04 p.m. | Germantown - Police are seeking witnesses in the 2009 drug overdose deaths of Ted Olla and Ian Hegmegee and those investigations are not closed, Chief Peter Hoell said Thursday.

"We want to know who gave our two victims their fatal doses," Hoell said. At a news conference, Hoell asked community residents to come forward with any information related to the deaths.

Both men were found unresponsive in the Germantown residence of Kimberly Sell, 38.

Sell was charged this week in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with first degree reckless homicide in the Dec. 21 prescription drug overdose death of Kati Lynn Hammen of Fredonia. Sell sold Hammen, 21, the methadone that caused her death, authorities said. Hammen's live-in fiancé, Brad Baumann, told investigators that he accompanied her to Germantown to buy methadone from Sell the day before Hammen's death.

Olla, Sell's fiancé, died April 15 of an overdose of multiple drugs, including cocaine and methadone. Sell found Olla, 48, on a couch in the Legend Ave. apartment that they shared.

We're blogging live from Friday night's boys basketball sectional semifinals

March 11, 2010 9:43 a.m. | Join NOW's David Cotey and Lake Country Publications' JR Radcliffe court side Friday night as they blog live from three of the area's top Division 1 boys basketball match ups.

Cotey will be covering the contest between No. 5 Brookfield Central and No. 1 Milwaukee Hamilton, set for 6 p.m. at Greenfield High School.

Radcliffe will be at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee reporting from No. 4 Waukesha West vs. No. 1 Arrowhead at 6 p.m. and No. 3 Germantown against No. 2 Menomonee Falls at 8 p.m.

Sign up now to receive an e-mail reminder when the events go live:

Brookfield Central vs. Hamilton

Help us choose the All-Suburban teams and you could win Bucks tickets

March 11, 2010 7:21 a.m. | 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!

Vote for the boys team

Brookfield man charged with sexual assault of Falls teen

March 10, 2010 6:22 p.m. | A 48-year-old Brookfield man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he met at a Menomonee Falls gas station.

According to a copy of a criminal complaint, Sunil K. Singh talked the Menomonee Falls girl into getting into a car Saturday before getting her drunk, groping her and driving to an apartment building in the 11000 block of W. Meinecke Ave. in Wauwatosa.

According to the complaint, Singh threatened to kill the girl before dragging her by the wrist into the basement of the building, where he beat her and forced her into sex.

The girl managed to escape to a nearby apartment, where a resident called police.

Singh admitted to police that he provided the girl with alcohol, had sex with her and slapped her several times to keep her from crying.

Woman linked to 2 more drug overdose deaths

March 10, 2010 4:46 p.m. | Kimberly Sell, the 38-year-old Germantown woman charged in Ozaukee County court this week in the prescription drug overdose death of a Fredonia woman, is linked to at least two other drug overdose deaths in 2009, authorities said Wednesday.

Sell is a person of interest in the April death of her fiancé, Ted Olla, who lived with her, and the Christmas Day death of Ian Hegmegee of Menomonee Falls, Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell said.

Sell allegedly sold methadone on Dec. 20 to Kati Lynn Hammen, 21, who was found dead the next day at her Fredonia residence, according to a criminal complaint. Sell was charged Tuesday with first-degree reckless homicide in Hammen's death.

On Wednesday, Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams set bail for Sell at $75,000. Sell remained in the Ozaukee County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.

A preliminary hearing to review the charges against Sell is scheduled for March 19. If convicted, Sell could be imprisoned for up to 40 years.

April election bumps Plan Commission meeting back

March 10, 2010 12:18 p.m. | Because of the spring election April 6, village officials have moved the monthly Plan Commission meeting to April 13.

Incumbent Michael McDonald will face challenger former Village President Jefferson Davis for Seat 4 on the Village Board. Trustees Jeffrey Steliga, Seat 5, and Steve Raymonds, Seat 6, also are seeking re-election. Those races are uncontested.

Four public hearings planned for the monthly meeting that will be held April 13.

Clearwire Legacy is in the process of building a nationwide fourth generation mobile Internet network, and is looking to place antennas on six existing towers throughout the village. Because of the proximity to residential properties, the commission will hold a public hearing on the request for antenna and cabinet installation on a tower located at Lakefront Communications, W7348 Shady Lane.

The commission will hold two public hearings on requests by Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church to move its operations to a site along County Line Road, west of Maple Road. The first request would reclassify a portion of the site from low-density residential and an area of agricultural lands both to institutional in the village's comprehensive plan. The church's other request asks for a permit to operate a church, school day care, preschool, activity center, pavilion/storage garage and sports field.