West of the I

At about 10:35 a.m., Bristol Fire and Rescue is responding for mutual aid to Newport Fire Protection District.

Per dispatch: This is for a crash in the southbound lanes of I-94 at mile marker 1.

At about 2:33 p.m., Town of Wheatland Fire Department and Twin Lakes Rescue units are responding to a report of a crash at Highways W and JI in Wheatland.

Per dispatch: Crash involves a motorcyclist who ran into a ditch. Motorcyclist conscious and breathing, caller reports.

Note: Glenda and Butch Dupons, of Bear Realty, are westofthei.com sponsors. This is a paid announcement — DH

Here are open houses being hosted today by Glenda and Butch Dupons, of Bear Realty:

36398 N Tara CT, Ingleside, Ill., noon to 1 p.m.

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:

Westosha Central High School’s Jazz Central participated in the Music in the Parks Festival hosted by Six Flags Great America on May 19 and 20.

Jazz Central performed two selections for a panel of adjudicators. Jazz Central received a rating of Superior, 1st Place, and the Best Overall Jazz Ensemble with a score of 98/100

The 2023 Salem Lakes Concerts in the Park series begins next week.

All concerts are on the first and third Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. in Schmalfeldt Park in Silver Lake.

Here is the schedule:

• June 1: Myles Wangerin
• June 15: Midnight Rider Band
• July 6: Double Bourbon Quick
• July 20: Chapel Hill Band
• Aug. 3: Gravity of Youth
• Aug. 17: Hindsight
• Sept. 7: Justus

Schmalfedlt Park is located at 383 Railroad St., Silver Lake.

Westosha Central High School has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

Now in its 24th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Westosha Central High School answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“This recognition is a huge credit to all of the music teachers in the district,” said Kevin Kitslaar, Westosha Central High
School Principal. “Their dedication and passion for music is seen through the students in the district. Providing music education to students at Westosha Central High School through many different music opportunities and programs is very important to the District.  The families and the community are very supportive with all the music programs and realize the importance of music education.  We are proud our music programs and look forward to continuing our strong music programs to support music education for the students.”

Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs.

“Music provides an outlet for growth in a way that other academics don’t allow,” said senior student Nicholas Pelczynski.

Westosha Central High School music department offers a Concert Choir, Show Choir, 3 Concert Bands, Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band, and Pep Band. Students in the Westosha Central High School music program have performed at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Toronto Canada, Nashville, and various festivals and competitions such as WSMA Solo & Ensemble, Festival Disney, Music in the Parks, and Festivals of Music.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 member companies and individual professionals. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving,
and public service programs.

As quickly as summer like temperatures arrived they are going to disappear.

Tuesday’s high hereabouts was around 80.

The latest, local National Weather Service forecast calls for a high on Wednesday about 20 degrees cooler at 61.

Talk about your rude awakenings.

Thursday is expected to be a repeat of Wednesday with a high of 61 again. The balance of the week is going to remain cooler, if not quire as cool as Wednesday, with a highs Friday of 68 and 74 Saturday.

The next warm-up is predicted for Monday (Memorial Day) with a high temp back over 80 (Tuesday too).

The National Weather Service has issued a air quality alert for virtually all of Wisconsin, including Kenosha County.

The alert is in place until 11 p.m., Tuesday.

From the text of the alert:

Due to sunny skies, warm temperatures, low humidity, and southerly transport of pollutants and precursors, the air quality index is expected to reach the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS level. People with lung disease (such as asthma), children, older adults, and people who are active outdoors (including outdoor workers) should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.

All Western Kenosha County lakes tested by Kenosha County Public Health on Monday were within normal E.coli levels.

This is the first sampling of the 2023 season.

The State Department of Health recommends posting warnings at beaches when test results indicate a E.coli level of 235/100mL or more and closing a beach when test results exceed E.coli 1000/100mL.

Test results from Monday are:

Salem Lakes – Silver Lake County Park beach 21 E.coli/100 mL; Silver Lake DeWitt Park 16 E.coli/100mL; Lake Shangri-la 220th Ct. 6 E.coli/100 mL; Center Lake 5 E.coli/100 mL; Camp Lake 23 E.coli/100 mL; Hooker Lake Boat Launch 2 E.coli/100 mL; Rock Lake 24 E.coli/100mL.

Paddock Lake — Old Settlers County Park beach 3 E.coli/100 mL; Hoag Park <1 E.coli/100 mL; North Shore Association 4 E.coli/100 mL; PHLA beach 3 E.coli/100mL; PHLA Diving Board 11 E.coli/100 mL.

Wheatland — Lilly Lake <1 E.coli/100 mL.

Twin Lakes — Lance Park on Lake Mary 2 E.coli/100 mL.; Lucille on Lake Elizabeth 17 E.coli/100 mL; Sunset on Lake Elizabeth 5 E.coli/100 mL

Bristol — Lake George 101st 3 E.coli/100 mL; Lake George 187th 9 E.coli/100 mL

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 J1 School District board is scheduled to hold a meeting Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. in Room 164 (Community Room) at Wheatland Center School.

Agenda items include:

• Open enrollment spaces
• New teacher contracts
• A closed session regarding employee contracts.

The full agenda is available here.

Two Salem Lakes businesses that filed complaints about fire inspection will be asked to amend their complaints with more specific allegations after action by the Salem Lakes Fire Commission Monday.

The commission unanimously voted to ask Stage Stop restaurant and Auto Truck Equipment to detail what specific ordinances, statutes and regulations they contend have been violated by village fire inspectors. The detail is needed for the commission to determine whether the allegations are worthy of a hearing that could result in discipline for the village employees involved, commission members said.

“”They have to be specific with their complaint and they have not,” said Allan Thennes, commission president.

An attorney representing both businesses had delivered to the commission Monday additional information. However, village attorney Richard Scholze said the commission should consider only the original complaint itself. He advised that the commission could reject the original complaints outright due to the lack of specifics, but that a more practical solution given the likelihood of refiling of new complaints might be to ask for amended, more specific complaints.

The commission set a deadline of June 9 for the filing of the amended complaints. The commission will meet June 12 to consider whether the allegations in the amended complaints are sufficient to warrant a hearing.

Scholze said in his opinion the commission ought to avoid doing its own investigation of the matter and instead consider what is presented in the formal complaints and wait for evidence presented by both sides if a hearing takes place.

The Paris Town Board is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.

Agenda items include

• Recommendation from the Plan Commission:  Petition from Janet Gumm and Donna Kirschbaum, 112430 7^th Street (owners) to rezone portions of Tax Parcels 45-4-221-014-0320; 45-4-221-014-0310 and 45-4-221-014-0300 from A-1 – Agricultural Preservation District, R-1 – Rural Density Residential District and R-2 – Suburban Density Residential District to A-1 Agricultural Preservation District and R-2 Suburban Density Residential District.  The purpose of the petition is to allow the petitioners to make a series of lot line adjustments to make the properties more conforming. 
• Recommendation from the Plan Commission:  Petition from Lorin Myers Sr. and the Estate of Marvin Myers, 12610 7^th Street, to rezone a portion of Tax Parcel 45-4-221-013-0320 from A-1 Agricultural Preservation District and C-2 Upland Resource Conservancy District to R-1 – Rural Density Residential District, C-1 Lowland Resource Conservancy District and C-2 Upland Conservancy District.  As part of this petition, Parcel 45-4-221-013-0320 will be reduced from a 10-acre parcel to a five-acre parcel with the balance of the existing parcel being attached to the adjacent parcel 45-4-221-013-0107.  This action is to correct a prior illegal land division.
• Consideration of investment advisor proposals

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:

Note: The following is a paid announcement from the Twin Lakes Area Chamber and Business Association. — DH

The Twin Lakes Area Chamber and Business Association, Inc. is seeking a new Managing Director. This position is potentially 20-25 hours/week, with the anticipation of working a few more hours around events.

The Managing Director reports directly to the President of the Chamber Board of Directors.

General duties include but are not limited to: answering phones, computer usage (Word, Publisher, Excel, Chamber website, Quickbooks); working with the public; scheduling meetings; managing office contracts; keeping membership records; communicating with members and the public (in person and also via phone, constant contact email system, and social media).

As an employee of the Chamber, the Managing Director will help with event planning. That includes assisting the event’s committee with planning, advertising, record-keeping, scheduling, and volunteering at events, as well as insuring compliance with local rules and regulations.

Please submit a resume in a sealed envelope directed to the Hiring Committee. Envelopes can be dropped off at the Chamber office (349 E Main St., Twin Lakes) or mailed to TLACBA, PO Box 64, Twin Lakes, WI 53181, ATTN: Hiring Committee. Deadline for resumes is Friday, May 26^th, 2023.

At about 12:50 p.m., Twin Lakes Fire and Rescue units and Twin Lakes Police are responding to the 3000 block of East Lakeshore Drive in Twin Lakes for a report of a fire.

At about 7:55 a.m., Town of Wheatland Fire Department and Twin Lakes Rescue units and sheriff’s deputies are responding to a report of a fire in the 333700 block of Highway 50 in New Munster.

Per dispatch: This is a truck on fire.

UPDATE 8:01 a.m. — Fire unit on scene reports truck was on fire but fire now out. Truck is in traffic of eastbound lanes at Highway 50 and Highway 83- north intersection.