West of the I

Twin Lakes Fire and Rescue will be hosting Santa at the fire station Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Santa will be available for photos at the station. Hot chocolate and goodies will be provided. Make sure you bring your own camera or phone to take a snapshot of the kids with Santa.

The fire station is located at 236 E. Main St., Twin Lakes. More information here

Santa also will be riding around Twin Lakes neighborhoods on a fire truck from 8 to 10:30 a.m. prior to his arrival at the fire station. More information here.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

At about 7:01 a.m., Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue units and a Town of Randall Fire Department chief and sheriff’s deputies are responding to a crash in the 18300 block of Highway 50 in Salem Lakes,

Per dispatch: Single vehicle crash. Vehicle rolled over.

UPDATE 7:04 a.m. — Dispatch reports another vehicle has crashed and is in the ditch. Black ice may be present. Scene is along the eastbound lanes.

Note: The following is a paid announcement from Westosha Sports Complex — DH

Westosha Sports Complex will host a Holiday Break Baseball Camp Dec. 26, 27 and 28.

Age groups and times are:

• 7yr-9yr group 9:30-11 a.m.
• 10yr-12yr group 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• 13yr-15yr group 12:30-2 p.m.

Cost if $120 per participant.

Sessions will include:

• Hitting drills that will have you knocking it out of the park!
•  Pitching fundamentals to perfect your game on the mound!
•  Learn essential arm care techniques to keep you in top shape!
•  Proper warm-up routines to stay injury-free and at your best!
•  Fielding skills that will make you an infield and outfield star!

Register by calling (262) 885-6110 or clicking here.

Wednesday morning officials gathered in front of Randall School for the official groundbreaking for the construction project resulting from the referendum approval earlier this year. The capital referendum is not to exceed $9,500,000. Groth Design Group and CG Schmidt will manage the project.

The show piece will be the new entrance. It will provide better security and expansion of support areas like the nurse’s office, guidance office, and family spaces. The less obvious but equally important are the improvements to HVAC and plumbing. There will be improvements to electrical, lighting, and doors. Changes will improve and standardize some of various installations made over the years. Parking will be expanded and improved for drop-off and pick-up.

The school has grown and changed since it opened in 1959. But what is in each section does not match or coordinate with what is in the other sections of the school. This will rectify some of that.

The Salem Lakes Fire Commission is scheduled to hold a special meeting Thursday starting at 4 p.m. at Village Hall in Salem.

Agenda items include:

• Discussion and possible action on accepting for hire two full-time Firefighter-EMTs
• A closed session specifically for the purpose of interviewing candidates for the position of a limited term Interim Fire Chief. In attendance will be the Commission members, Commission’s legal counsel, Village Interim Administrator, and incoming Village Administrator, and two local Fire Department Chiefs of the Towns of “Paris Fire” and “Randall Fire”. There will be five interviews of candidates, beginning at 5 pm with each candidate to appear at 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 pm respectively.
• Upon conclusion of the Closed Session, the Board will reconvene into open session for possible additional discussion and/or action concerning any matter discussed in closed session that requires action in open session.
• Discussion and possible action regarding the selection of a candidate for limited term Interim Fire Chief or, if necessary, regarding the process, procedure and/or schedule for completing interviews of applicants for a limited term Interim Fire Chief or regarding scheduling a date for future Commission review of the interviews of candidates for the limited term Interim Fire Chief and selection thereof.
• Set date for next regular meeting unless the need arises for a special meeting.

The full agenda is available here.

At about 8:03 p.m., Twin Lakes Fire Department, Wheatland Vol. Fire Department, Randall Fire Department and Richmond Fire and Rescue units and Twin Lakes Police officers are responding to a report of a fire in the 500 block of North Lake Avenue in Twin Lakes.

Per dispatch: Smoke reported coming from one side of a building.

UPDATE 8:09 p.m. — Southbound lanes of North Lake Avenue being closed by police.

UPDATE about 8:40 p.m. — Kenosha County Fire Investigation Task Force requested to respond to the scene.

UPDATE 8:45 p.m. — Police officer reports to dispatch that fire appears to be out.

Note: This is a paid announcement from St. Alphonsus Parish — DH

St. Alphonsus Parish is once again hosting its “Cookie Walk”. Thousands of delicious homemade Christmas cookies will be sold at this event. The Cookie Walk will take place on Saturday, December 9th from 10:00am – 12:00pm (or until sold out). The event will take place at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church’s Biersack Center, 6211 344th Avenue in New Munster, WI.

“This fundraiser is a great start to the holiday season. Save time during by purchasing a wide variety of homemade cookies at the Cookie Walk. No one will know you didn’t bake the cookies yourself,” states Joanne Ross, event volunteer.

Cookies will be sold for $10.95 per pound. If you have any questions or would like to pre-order cookies, please contact St. Alphonsus at 262.210.8482.

The Wilmot Union High School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m. in the school library.

Agenda items include:

• Resolution Authorizing Temporary Borrowing in an Amount Not to Exceed $3,450,000 Pursuant to Section 67.12(8)(a)1, WIS. STATS.
• 2024-2025 District Calendar.
• District Administrator Evaluation Instrument and Goals.
• District Library Plan.
• 2024 Referenda.

The full agenda is available here.

The Wheatland J1 School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m. in the school’s Community Room (#164).

Agenda items include:

• Draft 2024-25 academic calendar.
• 2023-24 Budget.
• 2022-23 Audit.
• Highway O improvement project.

The full agenda is available here.

The Salem Lakes Fire Commission narrowed the field of candidates for interim chief to five individuals at Monday’s meeting.

The commission started with 13 candidates, commission VIce President Allen Dunski told the audience at the meeting as the commission went into closed session.

The names of the five candidates were not made public, Dunski said Tuesday.

The five candidates are scheduled to be interviewed by the commission Thursday. The commission has stated its goal is to settle on an interim chief by the end of November.

The fire commission has the responsibility of hiring a fire chief — or in this case an interim chief — under state statutes.

Former Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue Chief James Lejcar resigned Nov. 13. Lejcar and fire Marshall/Inspector Steve Ptaszynski had come under scrutiny earlier this year when two local businesses — Wilmot Stage Stop and Auto Truck Equipment — filed formal complaints about inspections they alleged were unreasonable and not in compliance with fire code and that constituted harassment of their businesses. Ptaszynski resigned Nov. 12.

The interim chief is intended to serve until a permanent chief is hired by the commission. Commission President Allen Thennes has said the process of hiring a permanent chief could take as long as a year, during which time the interim chief would run the department.

While the commission will hire the interim and permanent chief, the Salem Lakes VIllage Board is in the process of establishing qualifications for the fire chief. That got started Tuesday at a special Village Board meeting and is expected to be further discussed at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting.

The Salem Lakes Village Board is scheduled to hold a special meeting Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. at Village Hall in Salem.

Agenda items include:

• Discussion and possible action on Ordinance 2023.11.73 an ordinance amending the certain provisions of chapter 490 of municipal code of the Village Of Salem Lakes Conditional Use Standards for the Wildlife Ponds.
• Discussion and possible action of a conditional use permit for a wildlife pond in the C-1 Lowland Resource District on properties located on the east side of 292nd Avenue. Property owners: Steven D. Dunn – Tax Parcel No. 70-4-120-292-0340 and David Laurine – Tax Parcel No. 70-4-120-292-
• For informational purposes only these parcels are located approximately 1500-feet east of CTH ‘B’ ON 106TH Street and 292nd Avenue.
• Discussion and possible action on previously approved site plan: Existing site plan conditions requested by developer to be amended to include Temporary occupancy with the condition that the final lift of asphalt, fence, and landscaping be completed by May 31, 2024, for the property at 28372 75TH ST, located approximately 1,300 feet east of County Trunk Highway B. Property owner: Awesome Applesauce, LLC (Tax Parcel No. 70-4-120-302-0241).
• Discussion and possible action on establishing qualifications for the Fire Chief position.
• Closed session regarding claims and investigation involving the operation and functioning of the Fire Department, investigation conducted by Attorney Jake Curtis of Attolles Law, S.C.
• Upon conclusion of the Closed Session, the Board will reconvene into open session pursuant to Wis. Stats. §19.85(2) for possible additional discussion and/or action concerning any matter discussed in closed session that requires action in open session.

The full agenda is available here.

The Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated Grade School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the school library.

A Zoom meeting link is available here.

Agenda items include:

• 5th Grade – KTEC Collaboration Project
• Strategic Plan Update
• District report card
• Cell tower lease

The full agenda is available here.

The Salem School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m. in the school large group instruction room.

A livestream of the meeting will be available here.

Agenda items include:

• Library Plan
• One-Time Early Retirement Option
• Revise Long-Term Capital Improvement Plan
• Building and Construction Update
• Student Data Update
• 2022-2023 School Report Card

The full agenda is available here.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

The Wheatland Town Board is scheduled to hold a meeting Monday, starting at 6 p.m. at Town Hall in New Munster.

Agenda items include:

• Commercial Washer for the Fire Department

The full agenda is available here.

The Wilmot Union High School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Monday, starting at 4:30 p.m. in the school library.

On the agenda is:

• 2024 Referenda

The full agenda is available here.

The Silver Lake-Salem Jt. 1 School District (Riverview School) board is scheduled to hold a meeting Monday. starting at at 6 p.m. in the school library.

Agenda items include:

• Boiler Repair Updates
• Facilities Work Team
• School Safety Update & Work Team
• Board Workshop- 5 Voices of Leadership

The full agenda is available here.