— Nearly 50 years after immigrating to the United States to escape a civil war the family behind a popular Cedarburg restaurant is creating their own American Dream Jerry Phoa and Kim Lai founded New Fortune Asian Cuisine in Cedarburg in 1997 the family business is churning out some of the best cuisine in the city WATCH: Cambodian-American family behind popular Cedarburg restaurant makes their own American Dream and now I'm here and don't want to move anywhere else." Both Lai and Phoa fled their native Cambodia in the 1970s when a civil war and refugee crisis forced many to leave the country They both settled in the Milwaukee area and met while taking English classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College after a four-year stint out of the restaurant business their sons Jimmy and Wilson decided to revive the business in the same location on Cedarburg's Washington Avenue "It's amazing that we can be in the same kitchen," Jimmy Phoa said He still remembers the meals his parents would cook him they're still having that same taste now." His father Jerry began cooking in a Cambodian restaurant when he was 11 years old He still mans the woks at New Fortune to this day while mixing in traditional Cambodian dishes like Gang Chicken and Thai dishes like Pad See Ew Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip Report a typo CEDARBURG — The Cedarburg Common Council on Monday chose Amanda Didier to fill the vacant District 4 seat on the council The other two people who submitted applications to fill the vacancy were Thomas Wil Knight and Jesse Scott Robert Simpson and Kristian Lindo voted for Didier Council member Melissa Bitter voted for Scott and council member Mark Mueller voted for Knight Didier has been the executive director of the Lakeshore Regional Child Advocacy Center since 2017 She was also a forensic interviewing specialist crisis counselor and social worker in Ozaukee Didier serves on the Ozaukee Family Services Advisory Board and Family Enrichment Center of Ozaukee Knight is president and chief technology officer at DIMAT Inc. a Cedarburgbased company that supplies formulated dielectric powders used in the manufacturer of titanate ceramic electronic components Scott has worked as corporate environmental manager at Harley-Davidson Motor Company He is also a youth sports coach in Cedarburg when an election will be held to choose the person who will serve out the remainder of the term a Cedarburg-based company that supplies formulated dielectric powders used in the manufacturer of titanate ceramic electronic components 10 things to know this week from the WOW counties (Waukesha Ozaukee and Washington) sent on Sundays Get the latest Ozaukee County news delivered Tuesday and Thursdays so you don't miss out on updates Have Ozaukee County breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Two candidates were eliminated Tuesday in a hotly contested race for three seats on the Cedarburg School Board Challengers Matt Bord and Jeff Larson got the fewest votes in the Feb 18 primary and will not advance to the April 1 general election The top six vote-getters will advance: incumbents Laura Stroebel and Elizabeth Charland The three candidates with the most votes April 1 will serve three-year terms Here are their vote totals from Tuesday's primary: Incumbent David Krier did not run for re-election Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12 KOHLER – The Blind Horse Restaurant & Winery could open its second location in Wisconsin this spring The restaurant and winery, 6018 Superior Ave., is on track to expand to Cedarburg around late March or April. The second location will be at a historic building, W63N674 Washington Ave., which was bought last February The building dates to the 1840s and will undergo some renovations was attractive to owner Bob Moeller for its year-round popularity and high foot traffic The Blind Horse celebrated 10 years of business last year Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner An official website of the United States government Open Search  Mobile Menu The Bureau of Land Management will host a wild horse and burro placement event offering a limited number of excess animals gathered from western rangelands at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds in Cedarburg Around 30 animals from different herd management areas are expected to be available for adoption at the event which will be open to the public from 8 a.m Appointments are preferred if you are interested in adopting at this event. On both days, placements will occur in one-hour increments (five appointments per hour). Appointments can be made via email at BLM_ES_NSDO_WHB@blm.gov or call (800) 293-1781 The BLM requests all potential buyers and adopters to disclose their top three preferred time slots when making appointments.  Bring a printed copy of your approved application if submitted online.    To qualify to adopt a wild horse or burro:    For questions about this event or to make an appointment, please contact the Northeastern States District Office at BLM_ES_NSDO_WHB@blm.gov or (800) 293-1781.  The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations An official website of the Department of the Interior — Some Cedarburg residents are unhappy with the increasing number of luxury housing developments near the city's historic downtown TMJ4 News spoke with Cedarburg resident Peter Eisenhauer who lives just down the street from one of the newest developments "A lot of us felt like 'that just got by us,'" Eisenhauer said "It was shocking how big the development is.. Eisenhauser says the developments have already led to increased traffic and overcrowding that threatens to negatively affect the city's signature quaintness and charm There have been multiple such developments in the same area Francis Borgia Catholic Church's South location along Washington Avenue Other residents attended public meetings to voice their opposition. One group, Preserve Cedarburg created both a website and yard signs for interested residents TMJ4's new Ozaukee County reporter Alex Gaul spoke to several other neighbors who were more ambivalent about the new projects chalking it up to the normal cause of city growth City leaders say there is a good reason behind the new projects The properties in question were environmentally contaminated The idea is to create more foot traffic for local businesses without having taxpayers foot the bill for the environmental cleanup according to City Administrator Mikko Hilvo environmentally contaminated site into a vibrant much-needed housing development that enhances our community," Hilvo said in a statement to TMJ4 News "The project provides additional housing options supports local businesses through its walkable location and contributes to the ongoing vitality of our downtown." the developer took on the cost of the multi-million dollar cleanup The city is also helping build the roads through a Tax Incremental District (or TID) Watch: Residents organize to oppose further housing developments in Cedarburg It is a strategy the city is looking to replicate with some other properties within its Smart Growth plan Smart Growth Area 1 (or SGA 1) comprises two parcels of land between downtown's Washington Avenue and Cedarburg High School The city originally proposed that the zoning of the land be changed from a "Limited Manufacturing District" to "High-Medium Density Residential" area At a Planning Commission meeting in January several residents spoke out against the loss of an existing green space if the land is rezoned and The Commission agreed to consider the possibility of maintaining the green space or lowering the residential density to "Medium They did not finalize the plans for rezoning at January's meeting citing the need for additional research to be completed Jill Becker is a longtime Cedarburg resident who used to work at a school close to SGA 1 She worries the new developments will eventually lead to overcrowded classrooms "Too big -- it's too high density for a community like Cedarburg," Becker said "Overpopulation is going to be really damaging to Cedarburg's historicalness." TMJ4 News reached out to Fox Run's developer P2 Property Management for comment but did not hear back Read the full statement from Cedarburg City Administrator Mikko Hilvo below John Vollmar receives the Meritorious Service Award Deputy Chief Andy Heidtke and Fire Chief Jeff Vahsholtz Retired Fire Chief Rich Van Dinter and retired Deputy Chief Jeff Boerner left is pictured with recently retired assistant fire chief Bill Hintz CEDARBURG — The Cedarburg Fire Department last month recognized the achievements of the past year for active passive and honorary members at its awards and recognition program held at the Ozaukee Pavilion Members enjoyed a sit-down catered dinner and bingo games provided by The Cedarburg Lions Club Chief Jeff Vahsholtz and Deputy Andy Chief Heidtke presented Service Awards to the following active and passive members: _ 25 years honorary passive: Angela Steffen; and _ 25 years honorary active to passive: Denise Boerner-Lily A special presentation was made to Bill Hintz who recently retired after 40 years of active service a challenge coin and a retired assistant chief badge Hintz also received a proclamation from the State Assembly along with an American flag and a state flag that was flown over the State Capitol Building The National Volunteer Fire Council also honored Hintz’s years of service with an Honorable Mention Lifetime Achievement Award Retired Deputy Chief Jeff Boerner and Retired Chief Richard Van Dinter each received special recognition for 50 years of service Van Dinter and Boerner both have a very long list of achievements representing their dedication to the fire service The Ozaukee County Association of Fire Departments represented by Waubeka Fire Chief Jason Caswell attended the banquet and presented awards for their 50 years of Van Dinter and Boerner The following members were recognized for First Responder of the Year 2024 responding to the most calls in the following categories: Some of the CFD members celebrated the completion of their one-year probation with a pinning ceremony administered the oath of office for four members in attendance: Jamie Wilhelme Sette administered an oath of office to Blake Karnitz for his promotion to captain of Community Risk Reduction continuing to perform fire inspections for businesses in the city and town overseeing the fire inspection bureau and its related duties and managing CFD's Public Education and Community Outreach which involves direct communication with community groups The highest award from the Cedarburg Fire Department is the Meritorious Service Award presented to a department member who exudes a passion for the fire service This year the award was presented to John Vollmar his family had to somehow convince him to postpone their Florida trip by a few days according to a fire department press release Left are retired Fire Chief Rich Van Dinter and retired Deputy Chief Jeff Boerner Photos courtesy of the Cedarburg Fire Department - 25 years honorary passive: Angela Steffen; and - 25 years honorary active to passive: Denise Boerner-Lily SIGN UP Incumbents Laura Stroebel and Elizabeth Charland Heidi Laurila and Gina Tozer will face off in the April 1 general election The candidates appear to be running in two blocs Demczak and Stroebel on one side and Justinger Demczak and Stroebel appeared together at a campaign event March 3 at Rebellion Brewing in Cedarburg that advertised former Wisconsin Republican Lt The three support each other and are also supported by the Republican Party of Ozaukee County. Demczak, Stroebel and Charland are also supported by the Patriots of Ozaukee County Demczak said he's also supported by Moms for Liberty and Wisconsin Family Action whose website says its mission is "to advance Judeo-Christian principles and values in Wisconsin by strengthening Justinger, Laurila and Tozer appeared together at a campaign event March 7 at the American Legion Peter Wollner Post 288 in Cedarburg. The three support each other and are also supported by the Ozaukee County Democrats the Cedarburg Education Association and current Cedarburg School Board members Connie Kincaide and Kate Erickson and former Cedarburg School Board member Hani Malek The Journal Sentinel asked each of the candidates the same three questions Their responses were limited to 100 words per question What are the two or three most pressing issues facing the district and how would you address them?Charland: Ensuring students are proficient in math and reading is the district’s most important responsibility We owe it to them to provide a rigorous academic foundation that prepares them for success While the DPI is quietly lowering standards and my Democrat-backed challengers want to shift the focus to nonacademic agendas I remain committed to maintaining high expectations iReady math and reading proficiency has grown and I will continue supporting strategies that drive strong academic outcomes and I will keep working to uphold and improve it Demczak: My platform of staying on track with academic excellence and fiscal responsibility addresses the two most pressing issues The first is to provide students with a solid educational foundation to build their future on That consists of maintaining high standards and focusing on core subjects of reading The second is to accomplish these goals with limited financial resources faced with unpredictable revenue and expenses The key is to operate under a balanced budget that provides teachers and staff with competitive wages and plans for future expenditures Justinger: I am passionate about several issues that directly impact students The most important to me is balancing academic rigor with inclusive environments One way to do this is by building upon programs that benefit learners at all stages of development Another is by reimplementing social emotional learning curriculum Teachers and students deserve to use every tool in their toolkits The Cedarburg School District has many devoted families and individuals that give so much time to see the schools succeed I believe the board can provide clearer leadership and set a better tone of collaboration Laurila: Our district has been successful at producing excellent outcomes in math and reading this performance does not come without tremendous pressure on students and staff we can reinstate the social-emotional learning curriculum in the elementary grades and ensure that we are providing all students a holistic education rebuild trust and treat them as professionals Stroebel: The Cedarburg School District’s core mission is to educate its students Their continued academic success and individual growth should be the board’s priority Providing all students with strong reading writing and math skills is foundational to anything they want to pursue We need to continue enhancing students’ creativity and problem-solving skills the district must continually work to maximize each student’s individual learning potential We need to attract and retain high-quality teachers and maximize our financial resources while maintaining our facilities kindness and respect must be embedded in everything the district does Tozer: There are several priorities that I believe are pressing and need to be addressed by board members The first is actively rebuilding trust with the CSD community One way of doing this is by recording all committee meetings to allow greater transparency and allowing more opportunities for public comment Board members can also invest intentionally in educator retention and think outside the box for ways to make sure great staff members stay here in Cedarburg The Cedarburg Education Association expressed disappointment last fall that the board voted to remove staff retention bonuses from the 2024-25 budget Do you agree or disagree with the board’s decision and why?Charland: I voted for this decision and the board prioritized sustainable teacher compensation while maintaining financial stability funds were directed toward salary-accruing pay resulting in an average 4.5% salary increase — exceeding this year’s CPI and providing a higher average salary increase than Mequon and Grafton we invested in long-term building maintenance to avoid future referendums While I would like to see retention bonuses return when fiscally possible this year’s approach best supported teachers while respecting taxpayers Demczak: I reviewed the budget presentations and video from the fall board meeting and related Fund 27 transfers accounted for about 80% of the budget The board considered many factors in their decision including unexpected expenses during the budgeting process and the need to fund future capital expenses The board reluctantly decided not to provide the retention bonus in order to be able to balance the budget; however they did provide an average 4.12% salary increase that was competitive with other districts I would like to return to providing a bonus in the future Justinger: I disagreed with how the negotiations process was handled and believe that there are ways that the board can work together in more effective ways moving forward Some of the hardest-working and most-dedicated people that I know are educators in our Cedarburg schools All members of our community should feel that their voice is heard and valued I look forward to setting a more positive tone if elected to serve Laurila: I do not agree with the board’s decisions regarding the compensation structure Providing appropriate compensation and ensuring a fair negotiations process is both prudent from a staff-retention perspective and vital for the culture within our district Where we choose to spend taxpayer dollars in our schools directly correlates to reflecting what we value Reaffirming the work that teachers do each day and the impact that they have on the success of the district should be at the top of that list Stroebel: The Cedarburg School District approved a 4.46% salary increase to the overall teachers’ wages for the current school year surpassing neighboring districts Grafton and Mequon the teachers’ compensation has been comprised of multiple components If a portion of the increase had been characterized as a retention bonus starting salaries in future years would have been lower since retention bonuses are not included as part of a teacher’s wage base and we prioritized teacher compensation through a highly inflationary period that impacted the entire country Tozer: Budget balancing requires weighing a multitude of real time needs with future projections our district has included retention bonuses as part of the compensation packages awarded to our staff for decades Some members of the current board have not been transparent to the CSD community about the cuts that were made to make the balancing of 2024-25 budget possible This distortion of fact demonstrates a breach of trust not only between the board and the CEA but between the board and our community at large as well Many Wisconsin school districts went to referendum in 2024 and more will do so this spring to try to address funding and budgeting challenges What are your thoughts on how to handle the financial challenges facing your district Charland: While many districts struggle with declining enrollment and financial instability Cedarburg remains in a strong position because of steady enrollment and responsible budgeting we balanced an average 4.5% teacher raise with a $500K investment in Fund 46 which pays for major building expenses like roofs and HVAC Funding it appropriately keeps our buildings safe and prevents costly referendums making tough choices to keep taxes reasonable while ensuring our schools remain strong and well-maintained Demczak: Cedarburg has not had a school referendum since 2018 and even that was for facility improvements I have been very impressed with this fact based on my experience with another school district that had a referendum almost every year The referendum did not always get approved which caused even more issues like large class sizes and temporary classrooms with much educational disruption The fact that the Cedarburg School Board has historically budgeted conservatively and planned for the future is a good thing I would continue that discipline and explore all other options before going to a referendum Thank you for your consideration on election day Laurila: The school finance landscape is in flux especially given a potential loss of funds from the federal government Our board will need to work collaboratively to address potential budget shortfalls asking difficult questions about what projects may need to wait and considering seeking outside funding sources These decisions should be informed by conversations with district professionals research on the part of board members and a willingness for more open and transparent dialogue with stakeholders and make a plan to vote from March 18-28 or on April 1 Stroebel: As a current Cedarburg School Board member I want to highlight our commitment to maximizing every dollar in our budget We prioritize our staff and their salaries and benefits while valuing our students’ classroom experience We also prioritize educational resources going directly to the classroom we transitioned to a self-funded insurance plan which helped mitigate substantial premium increases we have been funding a reserve for future maintenance and technology expenditures ensuring we are prepared for upcoming needs Thanks to years of prudent financial planning the district is well positioned financially to support both staff and students effectively Tozer: Public education must be advocated for by all board members The board must intentionally pursue more funds to be released at the state level so that all our students are given the opportunity to succeed academically The board needs to demonstrate that all avenues have been exhausted before going back to the community for a referendum Referendums alone are not a sustainable plan for financially supporting the business of the district; some current board members are choosing to sit on their hands when more can and must be done Age: 40Past political experience: Cedarburg School District Board member since 2022Family: Husband of 13 years 9 and 11Community involvement: Ozaukee 4H Cloverleaf Club volunteer town of Cedarburg Soccer and Cedarburg Crush softball Past political experience: First time running for office Family:  Married for 32 years with three children Community involvement: Student mentoring through Acadia Academics Supporters and/or endorsements: Republican Party of Ozaukee County, Patriots of Ozaukee County Contact info:  DemczakForCedarburg@gmail.com Community involvement: Volunteer for sports Supporters and/or endorsements: Cedarburg Education Association current and former school board members Kate Erickson Endorsements are not representative of the Cedarburg School District Cedarburg School Board of Education or any boards or offices that these individuals serve on or hold Contact info:  friendsofbrookejustinger@gmail.com Past political experience: Current Cedarburg School District board member since July 2021 Community involvement: Past member and president of Cedarburg High School PTO past board member and treasurer of Cedarburg Booster Club active member of First Immanuel Lutheran Church Supporters and/or endorsements: Republican Party of Ozaukee County, Patriots of Ozaukee County Occupation: Small business owner and accountant Contact info: laurastroebelforcedarburg@gmail.com and one elementary aged child in the Cedarburg School District Community involvement: Parkview Elementary School PTO member (four years) Supporters and/or endorsements: Cedarburg Education Association (CEA) Democratic Party of Ozaukee County; current board members Kate Erickson and Connie Kincaide and former board member Hani Malek Endorsements are not representative of the CSD Contact info: friendsofginatozer53012@gmail.com — The Cedarburg Police Department is investigating suspicious items found by a homeowner from a recently deceased family member Officers responded Wednesday evening to a home at Highland Drive and Cedar Reserve Circle after the homeowner called police to report the discovery Police said officers took custody of the items for “further evidentiary processing” and remained on the scene overnight until 2:30 p.m but police said there is no threat to public safety The two candidates for Cedarburg’s District 6 Common Council seat agree: The city needs to pump the brakes on approving new developments This desire echoes dozens of public comments at recent city meetings on new developments and strategic planning for growth What separates the candidates running in Cedarburg's only contested council race is their experience within the community Lindo’s challenger, newcomer Denver Dalley, is a house painter, volunteer firefighter, small business owner and musician who has toured internationally concerns over housing scarcity and the city’s affordability are not enough to outweigh concerns that overdevelopment could further strain the city’s schools public safety institutions and the “charming” façade for which it’s known Lindo and Dalley talked with the Journal Sentinel about their experiences and perspectives on development in the city: Lindo grew up in Hawaii and moved to Arizona during high school He studied law at Hamline University in Minnesota and spent two years working as a county prosecutor in Arizona He eventually moved to Wisconsin in 2012 to work for the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and to Cedarburg in 2017 Lindo was hired as an assistant district attorney for Ozaukee County after a few years at the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office the council chose Lindo to fill former District 6 Alderwoman Pat Thome’s shoes after she was elected to serve as mayor They approved Lindo’s application 4-2 in an anonymous vote Lindo had been searching for another opportunity to get involved in his community after an unsuccessful run for Cedarburg’s school board in 2023 Lindo said his public safety roots seamlessly translated to civic engagementLindo’s family has deep roots in law enforcement and both Lindo and his sister pursued paths as prosecutors Lindo learned that “you don't get to complain about stuff unless you're willing to get your hands dirty and get involved in your community.” It’s part of why he’s decided to pursue a seat on the Common Council concerns and desires he hears from his neighbors and those in his district The primary reason Lindo is running to keep his seat on the council is to have a continued say on new developments he says he's done a lot of research to understand the history planning and development of Cedarburg over the years combing through previous meeting minutes and talking with members of the community Lindo said he understands that Cedarburg is both a desirable place to live and an increasingly unaffordable place to live for many with rising housing prices and recent tax levy increases a lot of things have been kind of kicked down the road We went through a long period in Cedarburg where there weren't increases in taxes and you start to question why they were left on the back burner." And while he understands that growth allows the city to expand its tax base he’s concerned that recently approved developments have not maintained Cedarburg’s “unique picturesque charm,” instead ushering in “cookie cutter duplexy” designs that “squeeze as many people into an available property as possible.” Residents are proud of the city’s charm and don’t want to see that compromised he’s concerned that the too many new residents in such a short period of time will strain the city’s educational and public safety resources The police department is already understaffed Lindo believes the council has made some progress in recent months to more cautiously scrutinize new proposals Lindo said he's been a proponent for conducting as much research and collecting as much data as possible on how the proposed developments might affect the city "Sometimes what the public doesn't see is that we are very much wanting to know everything before decisions are made," Lindo said I just don't know if that's something that everybody sees." The members have commissioned traffic surveys and communicated with neighboring communities that's not necessarily what he does on a daily basis During these last eight months on the council Lindo said most of what he does consists of connecting residents to the city resources they need and mediating neighbor disputes Denver DalleyDalley has worn many hats as a musician firefighter and guitar shop founderDalley grew up in Nebraska but moved to Cedarburg in 2018 after around 20 years in the music industry touring nationally and internationally for his own gigs and as a tour manager for other bands he formed the band Desaparecidos with his friend Conor Oberst (who also became the frontman of the band Bright Eyes) These days, he works primarily as a house painter but also spent the last five years volunteering as a firefighter and EMT for the city. In February 2024, he founded a guitar shop called Old Mill Guitars at N69W6335 Bridge Road with Creekside Antiques owner Rick Land Dalley said he’s always liked the idea of a brick-and-mortar shop where people could try different guitars in person and enjoy music as part of a community Dalley decided to run for Common Council after a few clients encouraged him saying he’d be a good fit to represent the district Dalley’s recent careers as a house painter firefighter and business owner have brought him a unique perspective on Cedarburg: literally and figuratively Responding to emergency calls at the top floor of the old mill and painting inside Cedarburg houses and businesses Dalley has become familiar with the layout of the city and the internal arrangements of different buildings inside it He’s responded to car accidents where new traffic patterns are implemented and natural gas leaks for newly-built developments he said the jobs have brought him closer to his community “I've gotten to know a lot of the great people here,” he said Dalley hopes for more careful stewardship of new developments traffic and public safetyThose connections he's built and the perspectives he's gathered have led Dalley to seek a voice on the "bigger picture." Dalley said he wants to help guide the village toward more careful consideration for the long-term effects of new developments across the city saying 'no development.' I think that it can support the city but I think that it needs to be done very responsibly," he said responsible stewardship of new developments looks like preserving green space and taking a more cautious approach to scrutinizing the numbers of new units and their impact on schools He also opposes the city's use of developer incentives "Taxpayer money should be going directly to things like improving the roads and beautifying the city," he said "And that should never be going to give a developer money to come into a town and make more money." Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13 — A women-led team is turning a historic Cedarburg building into a haven for cocktail enthusiasts Mary-Kay Bourbulas opened the Handen Distillery on Washington Avenue in Cedarburg in 2018 her team is still shaking and stirring up some of the best cocktails in town "That's what I'm into: one really nice cocktail "It starts with a really nice base spirit." According to a post from the Small Business Administration only around 8 percent of distilleries are owned by women Bourbulas says she only knows of one or two other such distilleries in the entire state of Wisconsin "Most people expect a man running the business Watch: Women-led team revives historic Cedarburg building into a cocktail haven The distillery is located in an old Ford dealership that sold Model T's in the 1920s the building has gone through several iterations since then Handen produces several kinds of whiskey and three kinds of gin They have a tasting room at the front of the business "That's what gets me coming to work every day," Bourbulas said Handen distills dozens of barrels of spirits inside the facility They also have more than 100 barrels aging off-site They are renovating the adjacent storefront into an aging room so they can eventually do it all on-site CEDARBURG — Two individuals are looking to represent District 6 on the Cedarburg Common Council in this spring election on April 1 Incumbent Kristian Lindo is facing a challenge from Denver Dalley District 6 is on the east central side of Cedarburg it is east of Washington Avenue and both north and south of Cedar Creek The News Graphic asked three questions of the candidates ahead of the election: What qualities do you have that make you the best candidate to represent District 6 Denver Dalley: As a five-year member of the Cedarburg Fire Department (a passive member for the last two years) as well as a professional house painter I feel like I have a unique and intimate perspective of the city of Cedarburg and its community retirement homes and businesses throughout our city — which has allowed me to get to know the actual buildings themselves as well as the people that live or work in them Kristian Lindo: I have a strong background in public service and safety My job gives me insight into what’s happening in other communities and how that may impact Cedarburg I have a vested interest in making sure Cedarburg remains a safe and vibrant community for all our children I realize I don’t know everything and value any insight my residents give me I’ve tried to learn the history of past votes and am familiar with future agenda items I have been at all but one council meeting since I’ve been appointed (whereas my opponent has not been to a single council meeting since announcing his candidacy) Dalley: While District 6 is primarily residential it also includes a large number of businesses on or near Washington Avenue (including Old Mill Guitars which I personally helped co-found with its owner) So it’s important to me that both the businesses and residents of District 6 are represented with their best interests looked out for We also have a lot of waterfront of Cedar Creek — so the efforts to restore Cedar Creek are of particular importance and relevance to us there are issues related to downtown businesses how closures/events impact residents (travel/parking) I have to be cognizant of issues with Grafton and the town of Cedarburg A little bit of everything touches District 6 There has been a lot of criticism from residents about the pace of housing developments in the city housing developments in Cedarburg — and the repercussions of them — are the biggest issues facing the city and its residents right now Those issues are actually what motivated me to run for this position Development in Cedarburg needs to be done extremely cautiously — with the utmost respect to its effect on the city Developers tend to be highly motivated and only concerned with building as many units/making as much money as possible I want to ensure that development in Cedarburg is only done if there is a: responsible number of units built clear consideration for emergency vehicles and unbreakable commitment to an aesthetic that reflects the charm and history of Cedarburg Lindo: The pace of developments is one of the reasons I chose to apply for the open District 6 position last April I feel like so much has changed since I moved here Cedarburg is a desirable city because of the charm Rapid expansion runs the risk of ruining the qualities that draw people to Cedarburg our police department is still below the officer-to-citizen ratio recommended by the state Are the schools prepared to handle an influx of new students Are our roads and traffic controls sufficient to handle new residents I’d rather we have the time to prepare for the growth instead of trying to catch up to it See all of our election coverage at gmtoday.com/elections Read more of our election coverage at gmtoday.com/elections To see every race and referendum that will be on your ballot, visit myvote.wi.gov and click on the "What's On My Ballot?" button Education: Milwaukee Area Technical College-Firefighter 1 & 2 Occupation: Assistant District Attorney; Ozaukee County District Attorney’s Office Previous elected experience: Cedarburg Common Council After leading Kettle Moraine to its first WIAA state football championship in over three decades in 2022 and its first Classic 8 Conference title in 2023 Matthew McDonnell has resigned from his position as head football coach "This was a decision that he believed to be in the best interest of his family," Tomczyk wrote in an email to the families of the Kettle Moraine community to inform them of McDonnell's resignation "We are grateful for his dedication and passion to our program during his time with us we fully support his decision and wish him all of the best in his future endeavors." Tomczyk noted in the message to the families that the search process for a new head football coach has already started listing the job position opening earlier this week on the Wisconsin Education Career Access Network and the KM district's web page Vote now: Vote for who you think will be the Milwaukee-area high school softball player of the year we are actively seeking a highly qualified candidate to take over coaching duties who will be passionate about building a dynamic program from youth through high school We will keep you updated on our progress," Tomczyk wrote capped by an 8-7 victory over Muskego in a defacto conference title game to close the regular season "We were a little apprehensive of moving and we really like our neighborhood at our house where we're at but then you weigh in financial aspects of a new job," McDonnell said "Cedarburg's obviously a really awesome area and one of the top five school districts in the state and I've always thought it could also be a top five football program in the state The Bulldogs made it official April 24 with an official social media announcement from athletic director Jon Hannam on the hiring of McDonnell Lasers offensive coordinator Dominic Cappozzo who McDonnell called "his best friend in the world" and a "package deal" will be joining McDonnell's staff at Cedarburg Quarterbacks coach Jon Sain will also be joining McDonnell's staff with the Bulldogs McDonnell noted the difficulties of breaking down the change to his players at Kettle Moraine earlier in the week after the program's first morning weightlifting session "I love them and obviously I wouldn't be in the position I am to take a job like Cedarburg had it not been for them and the kids before them I just made sure to let them know that I'm still here for them and I'll still help out any way that I can I just reminded them that coaches often get way too much credit for stuff we won a state title and a conference title but in all those seasons I didn't make a single tackle or score a single touchdown It's a good job and people will come and apply and be able to put their spin on things." — Students and teachers lined the halls at Cedarburg High School Thursday afternoon to celebrate the return of their Boys Basketball team to the state tournament Cedarburg Boys Basketball is heading back Madison for the first time since 2017 Watch: Cedarburg heads back to state after eight years Seniors and team leaders Logan Zahour and Griffin French remember the Bulldogs last trip to the title game They watched from the crowd as Cedarburg barely missed what would have been a game-winning shot from half-court when he missed it by a couple inches," French said "It's kind of a full-circle moment," Zahour said Behind head coach Nick Miller, Cedarburg compiled a 20-8 record this season. After a slow start, the Bulldogs won 17 of their last 20 games, including a 86-69 win over Notre Dame in the Sectional Final ​"The development and progression of our team has been pretty remarkable," Mueller said and we're doing exactly what we set out to do." No. 4 Cedarburg will face top-seeded Racine Park Friday in the Division 2 semifinals. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. The full State Tournament schedule can be viewed here, and the Division 2 bracket is here Pictured during a five-year anniversary ribbon cutting at Sunshine Winery are Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce ambassadors Eric Ryer and Adam Krenek Cedarburg Chamber Executive Director Maggie Dobson and Chamber ambassadors Patty Gallun and Mikko Hilvo CEDARBURG — Sunshine Winery recently celebrated 5 years in Cedarburg with a ribbon cutting ceremony Owners Tim and Megan Schelwat opened the winery March of 2020 just shy of the COVID-19 pandemic The couple was inspired after visiting a small winery and retail store in Naples It made them want to bring these tropical flavors to their hometown All of their premium specialty wines are made 100% from the juice indicated on the label These are not fusion or blended grape wines but 100% pure tropical fruit wines made with a special fermentation process Sunshine Winery is also known for its wine slushies Flavors are featured on tap year round on a rotational basis Slushie mixes are non-alcoholic for all ages to enjoy however inside the tasting room they are made for adults discounts and more to mark this special occasion More information about Sunshine Winery is available at www.sunshine-winery.com Photo courtesy of the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce More information about Sunshine Winery is available at www.sunshine-winery.com The Milwaukee-area housing market is off to a slow start in 2025 with first-quarter sales down slightly from the same time last year Metro average home prices were up 4.3% year over year in the first quarter of 2025 according to data from the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors homes selling faster and sales trending upwards Here's a look at the five hottest communities in the Milwaukee area this year Red-hot market in MukwonagoFirst on the list is Mukwonago where the market has heated up significantly since last year have shot up — rising by more than $121,000 year over year up from 19 in the first quarter of 2024.Average sale price: $530,489 up 30% year over year.Average number of days on market: 25 down from 43 the year prior.Homes selling faster in CedarburgNext up is Cedarburg Prices spiking in GreenfieldGreenfield — where average home prices rose by nearly $53,000 year over year — also made the list Market heating up in New BerlinAlthough prices have risen more modestly in New Berlin compared to Mukwonago or Greenfield the community's market is still hotter than the metro-wide average homes are selling significantly faster than they were last year — A basketball team at Cedarburg High School is finding success both on and off the court The Cedarburg Unified basketball team brings together students with and without disabilities to play on the same court It’s a re-tooled type of Special Olympics basketball now becoming popular across the country Team leaders said it is the first such program in Ozaukee County This is his second season as part of the team "I've never been so proud of myself in my entire life,” Roosevelt said Watch: Cedarburg students find community through unified basketball team One of Jack’s best friends on the 'UBall' team is fellow senior Milli Shell She helps run the Best Buddies program at the high school she decided to take her skills to the court this year "It gives us an opportunity to let them really be the stars of the show,” Shell said Special education teacher Darwin Peters helped get the program off the ground and I want to give these guys opportunities just like any other kid,” Peters said “It's hard to decipher whether or not it's a standard varsity game or one of our varsity games." Cedarburg will play Milwaukee-Washington at 7 p.m Wednesday before heading to the state tournament next week — A local couple is behind a new food truck that's serving up burgers for a good cause Cedarburg neighbors might remember Mary Champeny and Steve Michalica as the couple behind Wayne's Drive-In Since retiring from running the restaurant in 2023 they've embarked on a new challenge—opening a food truck Watch: Former Cedarburg drive-in operators start charity food truck It takes a team of around six volunteers, including Steve and Mary, to run the truck. Aside from the cost of the food itself and the fuel to run the truck, all of the profits go directly to Mel's Charities The duo is beginning their first full year running the trailer For their first large event of the season, they will be slinging burgers at Mel's River Run this Saturday A small group of volunteers helped make the final preparations on the food truck Friday morning "(We're) trying to raise at least $1,000 per event," Michalica said Many of the same menu items and recipes from Wayne's have carried over to the truck The plan is to drive the truck around Ozaukee County this Summer taking part in one or two events each week CEDARBURG — Tuesday’s primary election has whittled down the number of candidates for the Cedarburg School Board from eight to six There are three open seats on the April 1 ballot Incumbent board members Laura Stroebel and Elizabeth Charland received the highest vote totals Also moving on to the general election are Heidi Laurila Matt Bord and Jeff Larson did not garner enough votes to move on to the general election Stay up-to-date on all the latest southeastern Wisconsin news with a print subscription See all of our spring primary election results here Get updates from the editors of The FREEMAN The NEWS GRAPHIC and The ENTERPRISE sent directly to your email inbox We promise to not clutter your email inbox with any messages you haven't asked for and we won't give away your email address SIGN UP TODAY Pictured is the Cedarburg Pedal Tavern used by North 48 in downtown Cedarburg CEDARBURG — The Cedarburg Common Council denied a new route to a downtown pedal tavern that would have brought it to Sierzant on Portland Road has been operating a pedal tavern through downtown Cedarburg for several years A request came to the council last week to add Sierzant also expressed interest in being included in the route but the council was not addressing that during this meeting City Administrator Mikko Hilvo said there was a concern about the pedal tavern going over the railroad track on Portland Road The council also received comments from neighbors who were concerned about the route "As our house is very close to this location we are extremely concerned about the level of noise this will bring to our area," according to the Suhrs’ statement "One of the reasons we bought our house was because of the location and the quietness of the neighborhood We appreciate Sierzant as a business and have patronized it several times But we hope that whatever rules apply to it respect the character of the residential neighborhoods surrounding it." Sierzant co-owner Seth Dehne told the council that they did not apply for this request; North 48 owner Jordan Cole asked them if they wanted to be a part of the pedal tavern route we don’t want to be a part of it," Dehne said Council member Kristin Burkart was against the route due to it going through residential areas "I wouldn’t be in favor of changing the route at this time "That is really a central business district type activity in my mind." Council member Melissa Bitter said extending the route would mean increasing the number of bars the pedal tavern would stop at "...it’s a lot of concentrated activity in a short amount of time," she said The Cedarburg School Board race has shown considerable interest this year as eight candidates will face off for three seats on the board Incumbents Elizabeth Charland and Laura Stroebel will face six challengers: Matt Bord Incumbent David Krier is not running for re-election Due to the large number of candidates running The top six vote-getters will advance to the spring election April 1 while the bottom two vote-getters will be eliminated The Journal Sentinel asked each of the candidates the same two questions What is the Cedarburg School District's biggest strength and biggest weakness How would you address the biggest weakness?Bord: The Cedarburg School District's biggest strength is the staff I have experienced first-hand the impact the teachers have on students in the district They work tirelessly to meet the needs of each student I believe the administrative leadership has an impact on the success of the district's high state report card scores I would like the school board to demonstrate more trust in our educators The teachers should be empowered to make classroom decisions based on their direct knowledge of the needs of their students The teachers' impact on the success of the district has earned them this responsibility Charland: Since joining the Cedarburg School Board in 2022 I’ve focused on enhancing academic achievement — our district’s greatest strength Forward Exam English-language arts proficiency rates rose from 68.9% to 83.4% and average ACT scores improved from 22.7 to 24.1 growth is needed in curriculum alignment and rigor I’ve supported implementing a new K-8 science of reading ELA curriculum and piloting stronger high school English and math programs I remain committed to advancing excellence and ensuring every student benefits from high-quality education Demczak: The Cedarburg School District’s biggest strength is high academic performance Cedarburg schools were consistently in the top 3% of the state or better Our high school was impressively ranked first in the state for college readiness I would build on our academic success by addressing test score differences between schools and incorporating classes in the curriculum to help students learn critical thinking and reasoning skills Justinger: CSD's biggest strengths are our highly dedicated and educated teachers I understand universal and inclusive practices that benefit all children pupil services staff go above and beyond to make our students feel safe welcomed at school and supported when times might get tough for them Our staff has amazing communication skills and always keeps conversation with families/students confidential and professional The staff members genuinely care about our community Laurila: Our district’s biggest strength is our human capital - namely the caliber and dedication of our teachers and school leaders Our biggest challenge is moving beyond the divisiveness that has influenced our district’s governance and impeded our ability to root our educational offerings in global best practices I will address this by elevating theperspectives of the educators who serve our students working to build relationships with board members with different views than my own and making decisions that are informed by current research in the field of education The Cedarburg School District has state-of-the-art facilities a strong curriculum and great extracurricular programs I think the greatest challenge facing our school district is one that faces every forum in our country — how to better enable ourselves and our students to engage in discourse and decision-making in a mutually respectful manner assuming the best of one another in the process particularly of those who see things differently than we do I hope to be a thoughtful participant on the Cedarburg School Board in that regard Stroebel: The Cedarburg School District is ranked No 2 out of 367 K-12 public schools in Wisconsin This is a result of our dedicated teachers family and entire community prioritizing both academic success and growth for our students a challenge shared with any school district is that each year is critical to a student’s overall learning as their knowledge is continuously building We are working to maximize each student’s learning potential every school day All of Cedarburg’s schools have received DPI’s highest rating “significantly exceeds expectations,” for the last four school years Tozer: The Cedarburg School District’s greatest strength is its ability to consistently deliver superior academic achievement across all our schools the CSD receives annual recognition for being among the best in the state The biggest weakness in recent years has been the board’s prizing achievement metrics as the primary indicator of success I care far less about how well my child takes a standardized test than the type of friend he is to others on the playground or in class  Life is so much bigger and more complex than what grade you earned in organic chemistry What is an issue the district has addressed but you don’t think is fully resolved and how would you resolve it?Bord: It’s a serious concern when a district's best investment — its teachers — don't remain with the district With Cedarburg's investment in teacher training it's crucial to find ways to both acknowledge their value and address the challenges they're facing I believe the school board needs to create an environment of support for these teachers more professional growth opportunities and fostering more collaboration would be great ways to work towards this goal Charland: The district has made progress in improving literacy and writing skills we introduced new evidence-based ELA curriculums: Amplify (K-5) and Into Literature (6-8) grounded in the “science of reading.” As chair of the curriculum committee I’m committed to monitoring their impact on student achievement a consistent experience across classes and stronger writing skills remain priorities My focus will be guiding discussions on the pilots and recommending the best option to the board for approval helping students build the skills they need to succeed Demczak: The district needs funding for long-term capital improvement plans for things like building repairs and technology upgrades The school board has addressed this need by utilizing Fund 46 to set aside $500K per year This approach shows great foresight and planning but may not fully resolve the funding need for all future improvements This is a complex issue that I need to get more information on I would resolve it by using my business and project management experience to analyze it in greater detail and work with the board to develop a fiscally responsible solution Justinger: As a parent of two daughters in the Cedarburg School District I know that I am sending them into school buildings with teachers that truly care I believe in the importance of SEL (social emotional learning) and would like to see it back in our classroom but soft skills are necessary in today's world and putting trust in educators is important I believe that school board members provide leadership not micro-management Laurila: The district has yet to reach consensus on a social-emotional learning curriculum for the elementary grades and is planning to embark on a potential overhaul of the middle school social-emotional learning curriculum as well With bullying and mental health problems in youth on the rise it is essential that this issue be resolved I will work with fellow board members to select social-emotional learning resources recommended by trusted professionals in our district prior to the 2025-2026 school year Larson: The Cedarburg School District has done well at navigating difficult issues particularly over the past few years through and after the pandemic and during a difficult economy To continue to make the experience in the district for students and staff an overwhelmingly positive one issues like student safety and personnel compensation and retention require continuous evaluation and improvement I hope to participate effectively in the decision-making process to address and balance the multiple factors that affect the decisions made around significant issues like these Stroebel: As educational standards are being lowered the Cedarburg School District cannot settle for the status quo The district is actively working on maintaining and improving the high standards it’s known for Providing challenges for all students while celebrating their unique strengths and talents is imperative the district is currently developing lifelong learning skills that incorporate growth We must prepare students for the future so they are well equipped for the path they may choose Tozer: One of the most critically unresolved issues within our district is several incumbent board members’ inability to see beyond this year’s balanced budget and strategically plan for what comes next Cedarburg students and the wider community need and deserve a board that effectively works together to intentionally advocate for state dollars to be released for public education Community involvement: Strawberry/Wine & Harvest Festival volunteer; youth baseball and basketball coach Contact info:  cedarburgbord@gmail.com Past political experience: Cedarburg School District Board member since 2022 Community involvement: Ozaukee 4H Cloverleaf Club volunteer Occupation: Healthcare IT senior consultant and project manager Contact info: CharlandForCedarburg@gmail.com, www.CharlandForCedarburg.com Family:  Married for 32 years with three children Community involvement: Student mentoring through Acacia Academics Contact info: DemczakForCedarburg@gmail.com Cienna "Cici" (8); both daughters attend Cedarburg School District and my husband owns his own property management company in our surrounding communities Community involvement: North Shore Academy of Gymnastics competition team volunteer employee at Lillies last summer (store in Cedarburg) former school psychologist for the Cedarburg School District  academic support specialist with the Medical Psychology Associates and school psychologist for the Mayville Public School District Contact info: brooklynjoycejustinger@gmail.com; 414-687-0266 Family: Jay Laurila (husband); Claire Laurila (8); Amelia Laurila (7); Hannah Laurila (4) Community involvement: Administrative Vice President Mom’s Club of Cedarburg (2017-2018); Cedarburg Friends of the Library Board (2019-2020); Content Coordinator of the Cedarburg Bridge (2019-2021); Girl Scout Troop Leader for Troop 8516 (2022-present) and Troop 8545 (2023-present) Occupation: Stay-at-home parent currently; previously Contact info: heidi4csd@gmail.com; 262-228-6155 Family:  Married 22 years to my wife Chandra Community involvement: Ozaukee Youth Hockey Association coach Cedarburg Police Department & Cedarburg Fire Department chaplain Occupation: Senior minister of Ozaukee Congregational Church Contact info: larsonjkl@hotmail.com Past political experience: Current Cedarburg School District board member since July 2021 Family: Husband - Duey; children - Spencer Occupation: Small business owner and accountant Community involvement: Parkview Elementary School PTO member (four years) Contact info: friendsofginatozer53012@gmail.com  Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at@AlecJohnson12 The table above shows existing traffic numbers (white boxes) as well as those projected for the year 2050 (gray boxes) The Five Corners Intersection where Washington Avenue (Highway NN) Highway 60 and Covered Bridge Road will likely remain signalized CEDARBURG — Officials from the city and town of Cedarburg met during a city Plan Commission meeting Monday to review a traffic and access planning study for along Highway 60 The city of Cedarburg is currently working on updating its Comprehensive Plan Smart Growth Land Use Plan and it was determined that the city should gather an analysis for traffic/transportation implications was jointly commissioned by the city and town Highway 60 is a two-lane undivided roadway that widens to a four-lane median divided roadway east of Forward Way to east of Sheboygan Road According to a Year 2023 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) volume reported by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Highway 60 was getting 15,700 vehicles per day east of Washington Avenue The project study area includes the following roadway segments: ■ Highway 60 from Horns Corners Road to Keup Road ■ Washington Avenue from Highway 60 to Bridge Road ■ Sheboygan Road (Highway I) from Highway 60 to Washington Avenue The study includes the following seven intersections: ■ Highway 60 and Washington Avenue (Highway 181/Highway NN) and Covered Bridge Road ■ Washington Avenue and Sheboygan Road/Elm Street ■ Washington Avenue and Bridge Road Pat Hawley of raSmith told the commission and town officials that this study will be shared with WisDOT who will ultimately have the final say as to the geometry traffic control and where access points are on Highway 60 "It should be stressed this study is a planning level evaluation to provide guidance for future development and access along the WIS 60 corridor Wis-DOT will require each development to prepare a traffic impact analysis (TIA) study to analyze the specific conditions of each site," according to the report "The TIAs will also be used by each municipality as part of their formal review process." The city and town identified planned and possible developments that are likely to occur by 2050 and planned/anticipated land use types in each of their communities The city has several developments in progress while the town is updating its zoning code - Athlete Performance in the town of Cedarburg - The Wirth site on the southeast corner of Highway 60 and Sheboygan Road where Mandel Group proposed a multifamily housing project - The Grob site on the north side of Highway 60 where Neumann Developments is proposing its Covered Bridge development - The business park at Forward Way along Highway 60 Hawley said with some of the sites that had no current plans or pending plans the study leaned toward the higher side or worst-case traffic volume standpoint In the study raSmith used the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s Year 2050 traffic forecasts for the study corridors and peak hour turning movement forecasts for the study intersections raSmith developed trip generation estimates for the future development sites and assigned peak hour trips to the site driveways According to the existing and year 2050 daily traffic volumes portion of the study Hawley said it shows an overall traffic growth of as low as 5% in increase of traffic in some locations and up to 40% in others “When you look at an average basis or an annual basis the growth is anywhere from as low as a tenth of a percent per year up to 1.4% per year,” he said it’s kind of right in the mid-range for what you would see for normal growth in most areas.” Hawley added that traffic on Highway 60 itself is estimated to increase at about 0.5% per year and the northern end of Sheboygan Road to increase by 1.3% per year the study states that Highway 60 west of Five Corners could continue to operate as a two-lane roadway but east of Five Corners may need to become a four-lane roadway Hawley said Highway 60 changing to four lanes east of Five Corners is consistent with SEWRPC’s vision for 2050 Hawley added that Five Corners intersection will likely remain signalized under its five-legged configuration but it would be very challenging with the existing roadway alignments and existing adjacent land uses The study added that maintaining traffic signal control at this intersection may limit the ability to introduce roundabouts elsewhere along the Highway 60 corridor To view the entire study from raSmith, go page 21 of the Plan Commission agenda packet at https://bit.ly/4ideN5J — A Cedarburg couple is being honored for running one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks Jerry and Alice Voigt received the key to the city last week for running the timeless Rivoli Theater for the past two decades on behalf of the local preservation commission The couple manage a team comprised of dozens of volunteers "We get to connect with the community in a way that's so unique.,” Alice said "We don't know how long we're going to be able to continue to do this but I can't imagine getting up every day and not having this to come to." The Voigt’s have lived in Cedarburg for nearly six decades Jerry once served as Chairman for the Town of Cedarburg Watch: Husband and wife honored for two decades running Cedarburg theater Neither Jerry nor Alice remember being cinema buffs before operating the theater it’s their job to pick out the movies shown every week they attend the first screening of each new film "This entire town are stakeholders in the entire operation,” Jerry said.” “(It’s) just a spectacular piece of this amazing city." The Rivoli Theater is showing "Paddington in Peru" this weekend CEDARBURG — Eight individuals are actively running for three seats on the Cedarburg School Board Incumbents Elizabeth Charland and Laura Stroebel are seeking another term on the board Current board member David Krier has chosen not to seek another term The News Graphic asked two questions of the candidates ahead of the primary election: Given the planned and proposed residential development within the district’s boundaries how ready are the current district schools to absorb an increase in enrollment Would you support a referendum for capital projects for building additions or renovations Matt Bord: This is a tough question to answer since I haven’t gotten my hands dirty and started to work the facilities reports and get a chance to ask some questions directly I feel like I’d be presumptuous to believe I have every answer before I can engage understand the current state and the anticipated impact And I would like to hear from the community Elizabeth Charland: The district has been closely monitoring proposed residential developments Thorson likely cannot absorb all new students so a viable option is rezoning a new subdivision for Parkview This would prevent relocating current students and avoid costly additions The board has also prioritized investing in the Long-Term Capital Improvement Fund each year ensuring our facilities remain well-maintained I don’t see a need for a referendum for renovations or additions at this time Paul Demczak: The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) 20202050 population projections were recently released This data needs to be evaluated by the Cedarburg Planning Commission and school board to determine if adjustments to proposed development need to be made and how that affects the school district The district should review where schools have room for additional students to meet the projected growth before discussions for new buildings Shifting school boundaries before new subdivisions are built may be appropriate to meet capacity differences Asking the community for a capital referendum should be a last resort as this comes with increased long-term operating costs Brooke Justinger: From my personal experience working in schools during the 2018 referendum the spaces met most but not all student needs buildings are not equipped to absorb many more students I would need to hear community input before any discussion of another referendum Jeff Larson: Based on the data from the district and city our schools have sufficient combined capacity to absorb the projected increase in enrollment over the next several years the continual evaluation of our facilities is important as our community grows and changes and undoubtedly additional renovations or additions will be needed at some point I think we want to provide what is needed for our students and what will continue to make our schools and our community attractive to people considering a move to the area Referendums are necessary at times to raise needed funds but we’re grateful that our schools are in good shape Heidi Laurila: I spoke with district officials about this the district is not at risk of a significant increase in enrollment as a parent in the district and a former teacher I see the strain placed on educators when class sizes increase it becomes harder to differentiate learning for each students’ unique needs I would work with fellow board members to determine if another capital project should be considered or if other measures are better suited to address the issue Laura Stroebel: Because of the planned and proposed residential development within the district the CSD commissioned a study to assist in its long-range facility planning the district will be able to accommodate future growth I would continually monitor the situation to ensure our students have a safe and positive learning environment Gina Tozer: Parents and school staff alike have expressed their concerns to me about the size of our classrooms at the elementary school level Many hold legitimate apprehensions regarding current and potential increases in the classroom student to teacher ratio there are many moving parts within the city of Cedarburg It’s too soon to say whether a referendum of any kind would be necessary I would like more feedback from the community on what the district can do better planning for such contingencies and I look forward to being a bridge-builder What is the board’s role in setting curriculum Bord: The School Board plays a role in setting curriculum by establishing educational policies approving instructional materials and ensuring that curriculum aligns with state standards and district goals School Boards should work with superintendents administrators and educators who design and implement instructional materials based on academic research and best practices It’s important the board recognizes professional educators and administrators have the expertise to develop and implement curriculum effectively A School Board’s role is to provide oversight and accountability not to micromanage instructional decisions Charland: The School Board plays a critical role in curriculum adoption ensuring materials uphold high academic standards and reflect community values the board is actively engaged throughout the review process — not just at the final approval stage As Curriculum Committee chair during the recent K-8 Language Arts review I worked to evaluate and advance options aligned with the Science of Reading and free of controversial issues the district has improved curriculum transparency on its website evidence-based curriculum that equips students with strong reading Demczak: The board sets educational standards and policies It selects and approves a curriculum based on those goals The board reviews student assessment results to determine if there are gaps that need additional attention or adjustments to the curriculum This is a continuous improvement process with input from students staff and members of the community to provide transparency and accountability The board represents all of these stakeholders in setting curriculum and works to balance competing needs and requirements without compromising on educational excellence or fiscal responsibility Justinger: Currently the board approves curriculum based on several factors Some would say that the board micromanages decisions that should come from staff recommendations and their professional background and experience some members of the board are using their own perspectives and not listening to both positive community input or the input from teachers and administrators to make decisions The board approves (or doesn’t approve) the expenses for curriculum and it’s challenging to know as both an educator and a taxpayer that money was spent on helpful curriculum that has been blocked Many people don’t know how to navigate where to find information and their schedules may not allow them to attend meetings I would advocate for learning sessions so that parents aren’t caught off guard when and if there are curriculum changes and this is an area that we could be better at as a district Larson: The School Board has an important role in helping to evaluate and approve the overall curriculum our schools use ensuring the curriculum both meets state academic standards and is appropriate for our students and community and the board should encourage parent feedback while both parents and the school board have on-going roles related to curriculum I think we need to trust the perspectives of the administrators and educators who work with and implement the curriculum every day Laurila: I believe the board’s role should be as a facilitator between the school district The curriculum industry is a big business and a costly investment for the district teachers should have the ability to weigh in on whether or not they think a particular curricular approach is appropriate for their students and should have discretion in supplementing materials when needed the community should have its voice heard on what matters to them in their children's schooling The board should serve as the governing bridge between these two Stroebel: Wisconsin state law requires every school board to maintain specific curriculum requirements the School Board is held accountable for the curriculum The foundational work in curriculum development and resource selection is a lengthy process led by the curriculum administrator along with teams of teachers who teach in the areas of the curriculum being addressed These teams work diligently to develop evidence-based curriculums that maintain and grow the academic success and personal development of the district students The board is updated at public meetings throughout the process to ensure the curriculum aligns with the required state standards as well as the community’s standards and the values expected in our district should have a voice in everything the district does Cedarburg head coach Nick Mueller cuts down the net after the Bulldogs capture a WIAA Div 2 sectional championship Saturday with a victory over Green Bay Notre Dame Fans storm the court to celebrate with the players after earning a trip to Madison State tournament play opens Friday with the team taking on Racine Park at 1:35 p.m Cedarburg senior Ryan O’Neill splits a double team on his way to scoring two of his 21 points Saturday against Green Bay Notre Dame That effort helped the Bulldogs win a sectional championship and advance to the WIAA Div which starts Friday with a game against Racine Park MANITOWOC — What began as a see-saw affair turned into a laugher Now Cedarburg’s boys basketball team will be grinning all the way to the Kohl Center Senior Logan Zahour led four Bulldogs in double figures with a game-high 25 points to go with 16 rebounds and Cedarburg put on a dominant offensive display en route to an 86-69 victory over top-seeded Notre Dame in a WIAA Div 2 sectional final Saturday at Manitowoc Lincoln High School "A couple of my friends and I went to state last year We were just talking about how amazing it would be for us to get there 1-seeded Tritons (21-7) their worst margin of defeat by a significant amount and led by as many as 26 points in the second half as they booked their first trip to state in eight years "Maybe it’s the candy that we serve at halftime to try to give a quick energy burst but they came out here just guns blazing," Cedarburg head coach Nick Mueller said Cedarburg led for much of the first half and built its biggest lead at 40-32 on a pair of free throws by senior Griffin French Then the Bulldogs got a stop on the other end and tried holding for the last shot only to turn it over and allow the Tritons to close within six before the halftime horn "Fifty seconds is kind of at the cusp of holding the basketball to close out the half and that’s what we expected in a sectional final." The biggest challenge defensively coming in for the Bulldogs was finding a way to slow down 6-foot-10 Minnesota-Duluth recruit Andrew Rader as Cedarburg doesn’t have a player over 6-3 in its rotation "We had a strategic game plan going in that we had a certain guy we were going to double team off of every time and it was one of our better players who’s going to come with the double team," said Mueller who also noted it was a similar strategy employed against Slinger’s Jack Kohnen on Thursday "So it was maybe a little more challenging for him to spin off of or split it I think our guys just battled our butts off We had a lot of trust in our kids on the defensive end." Notre Dame did have success getting to the basket throughout the first half to stay within striking distance and occasionally take a slim lead — there were eight lead changes before halftime But the Bulldogs were effective in their own right when they took care of the basketball using an inside-out game to punish the Tritons’ defense They took the lead for good when Zahour knocked down a short jumper in transition making it 31-29 with 4:12 to go in the first half we’ve been playing great basketball,” Zahour said “We started playing great when we needed to It’s just great to be able to click on all cylinders and get everything rolling the right way.” French scored out of the post just over a minute into the second half before senior Mitchell Czajkowski buried a 3-pointer to push the lead to double digits and force a quick Notre Dame timeout But there was no stopping the Bulldogs’ offensive avalanche The lead grew to 17 on a three-point play by senior Ryan O’Neill who scored 12 of his 21 points in the second half Notre Dame never got closer than 13 the rest of the way as it was forced to go to a full-court press and had its overaggressive defense exploited by the senior-laden Bulldogs “They’ve always been a really tight-knit group coming all the way up,” Mueller said we were able to make it to sectional semis and got railroaded by Nicolet so I thought that was a really good learning experience for us because it showed us that big-time environment now we’re at that point.’” Cedarburg exacted revenge over Nicolet in the regional final round on March 8 then took down a talented-but-young Slinger team in Thursday’s sectional semifinal building a sizable lead in the first half and holding on late There was no comeback to be had by Notre Dame on this day “It’s great because I feel like we’ve been the underdog the whole time,” Zahour said “I feel like going into this game we just had so much confidence because we know we’re better than a three seed So we’re just playing loose and free and everything’s working our way.” Senior Drew Siudzinski and junior Leo Weber added 14 points apiece for the Tritons who was lauded by Mueller for the job he did on Rader posted 18 points and three of Cedarburg’s seven treys on the afternoon The Bulldogs were also 15 of 16 from the free-throw line our eight seniors want it far more than anybody else that we played and that’s very apparent in their style,” Mueller said Our mantra in the locker room is ‘anything and everything.’” Cedarburg returns to the Kohl Center for the first time since 2017 when John Diener and company finished runner-up to La Crosse Central That was just before Mueller arrived to take over the program and after starting the season 3-5 and finishing fourth in the North Shore Conference nobody wants to play the Bulldogs right now at the most important time of the year They’ll use that chip on their shoulder again after being handed the No 1 Racine Park (26-2) in a state semifinal on Friday at 1:35 p.m “The way our kids fluidly play off of one another but certainly people around the state are going to look at this and say They must be playing good basketball,’ and we are.” CEDARBURG — Incumbents Elizabeth Charland and Laura Stroebel will retain their seats on the Cedarburg School Board and Paul Demczak will join them following Tuesday’s election results Current board member David Krier did not seek another term While the incumbent Stroebel had a large lead it was a little closer with Charland and Demczak against challengers Heidi Laurila Stroebel led with 5,717 votes or 19.65% of the votes followed by Charland receiving 4,890 votes or 16.80% and then Demczak with 4,759 votes or 16.35% The bottom three were Laurila with 4,607 votes or 15.83% of the votes Justinger with 4,572 votes or 15.71% and Tozer with 4,507 votes or 15.49% There were 49 write-ins in Ozaukee County and none in Washington County Charland and Stroebel were both elected onto the School Board in April 2022 This will be Demczak’s first time in an elected position The term of office for school board members is three years Other members of the Cedarburg School Board include Kate Noetzel See all of our spring general election results here and some say it's the most valuable thing we have they will say they just don't have enough time there’s never enough time to get everything done." Which is slightly ironic coming from a man surrounded by time "I mean, there's always ticking going on. Sometimes when I'm on the phone, people think it's a waterfall in the background," Tim Grabenhofer, the owner of Gruhr Clock Restoration and Repair in Cedarburg Grabenhofer has been restoring and fixing new and antique clocks for 43 years “I could work on something that was made 10 years ago and 10 minutes later I could work on something 200 years old," the 60-year-old horologist said There’s a shop in the local area that closes up and then I start getting a bunch of customers from those areas," he said He gets about 80-100 repair and restoration orders a month There is no sign of orders slowing down because there just aren't as many people like him anymore He’s keeping this profession alive in Wisconsin there’s not too many people going into them so there’s nobody to really pick up the slack And getting busier every year tells me I can’t retire," Grabenhofer said Watch the story to see more of the clocks Tim Grabenhofer works on... “As long as I’m physically and mentally able to do it But he knows time will catch up to him one day as it does with all of us but Grabenhofer can at least make it last a little longer “A lot of people like their clocks going because it makes a house a home.” You don’t get that from a digital clock on a microwave “Those are things that will be in a landfill in 10 You’re not going to pass your stove to your grandkids," he said Grabenhofer has seen what he considers an alarming trend Younger generations aren't holding these old clocks in the same regard as previous generations "The only thing that's a little concerning is that younger people don't want their parents' stuff of any sort So they get rid of some really nice things "(Customers) say they have no idea how many times they actually look at the clock until it's not working." the horologist prefers to see his clocks as objects of science “They are simply machines used to measure time That’s the way I look at it — not as anything metaphysical or philosophical," he said But it’s hard not see the poetry - a man running out of time But I guess he’ll just leave that to the poets Report a typo or error — Cedarburg business owners are split over a proposal to close down a part of the city's Downtown for a dinner event near City Hall this autumn The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Cedarburg Foundation are proposing to close down a two block stretch of Washington Avenue in order to host an anniversary dinner this Fall Watch: Proposed Cedarburg street closure gets lukewarm reception: The two organizations brought the proposal to the Common Council asking to close down the street from 11 a.m Some businesses in the area are asking for the plans to be reconsidered They worry about a serious drop in business for two weekends in a row since the event would take place the week after the city's annual Wine and Harvest festival a flower shop just a half block from the street closure She says the business would have to close for the day if the event is not moved somewhere else "I think it's kind of a foolish idea to have dinner on Main Street," Latz said (My) customers wouldn't have any place to park." The city notified businesses in the direct line of the closure, according to council documents But other businesses near the closure area told TMJ4 News they hadn't also received such notices Other business owners suggested the event be hosted on the front lawn of City Hall or at nearby public parking lots Java House co-owner Emily Trader is okay with the proposal She says increased foot traffic from festivals can be good for business It is the chamber's 80th anniversary and the foundation's 25th anniversary Chamber President Maggie Dobson said all parties are working toward a compromise "Our intent with the Cedarburg Supper is to celebrate the chamber’s 80th anniversary on the evening of Saturday one of our priorities is to support a vibrant business environment for our members we began looking at other ways to make our celebration happen without losing the high-impact plans we had and we’re doing our best to make it a fun and successful evening for all involved." The council did not take any action on the item at its February 10 meeting It was not on the agenda at Monday night's meeting A 20-year-old Milwaukee man has been arrested and charged in connection with a robbery that took place Dec. 16 at Port Washington State Bank in Cedarburg Solomon Moburg was charged with a felony count of robbery of a financial institution which carries a maximum penalty of up to 40 years of prison time according to a criminal complaint filed Dec Moburg's charge also includes a modifier of habitual criminality repeater for having been convicted of a felony within the last five years which could increase the maximum prison time by six years Moburg was convicted of escape-criminal arrest employees at the bank told police that Moburg entered the bank's front entrance stated that he wanted money and “no dye packs," and aggressively corralled bank staff away from the teller station Moburg took money from one of the teller drawers Cedarburg police were dispatched to the bank at W61N526 Washington Ave Officers searched the area and pulled surveillance footage from a nearby business The footage showed an individual matching bank employees' description of the suspect including ripped white pants and a D.A.R.E Moburg was wearing a blue bandana masking his face according to the description provided to police Officers spoke with a witness who had connected with Moburg earlier in the day on Dec Moburg requested the witness pick him up and park in an alley off of Hamilton Road between Hilgen and Hilbert avenues around 0.3 miles from the Port Washington State Bank Moburg instructed the witness to stay with the car until he returned running toward the car and telling the witness to leave because "the cops are coming." Moburg gave the witness $300 and said to take him to the Target in Grafton Cedarburg police eventually accessed Target's video surveillance system purchasing ride sharing gift cards and a phone-charging device Moburg will appear at the Ozaukee County Justice Center for an initial appearance Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13 are three of the eight seniors on the Cedarburg basketball team who helped the Bulldogs win a WIAA Div in a state semifinal game against Racine Park (26-2) at the Kohl Center in Madison CEDARBURG — Cedarburg would be the first to admit it is not the team most people on the outside probably picked to be playing at the WIAA Div 2 boys state basketball tournament this weekend but the squad clearly has not allowed the opinion of others to determine its fate during a playoff run in which the club has defeated three straight opponents seeded higher than the Bulldogs It gives us confidence on the court," Cedarburg senior Ryan O’Neill said The road to the Kohl Center included just one game on the home floor a 68-59 victory March 7 over Port Washington The second-seeded Bulldogs then went on the road to clinch a regional championship before winning neutral site games over the two top-ranked teams in the sectional bracket then (Green Bay) Notre Dame," senior Owen Hallbeck said Hallbeck concedes the Bulldogs are not the team people expected to see in Madison Now the goal is not to try to convince people how good the squad is it is to finish the job in the capitol city we’re just trying to win the next two games and bring the gold ball home." this end of the season rally is not merely a hot streak that began when the postseason got underway "A major thing is we’ve just stayed the course throughout the season," Cedarburg head coach Nick Mueller said "We’ve been playing really good basketball really since the start of the new year so we’ve been playing a good stretch of basketball here for a while." The veteran coach added that two things have been apparent as the team took off "Guys have just really stepped up in their roles We always talk about being superstars in your roles and that’s what everyone’s doing "They want it more than other teams right now and I think that’s pretty significant." Cedarburg has been riding a rotation of eight players throughout the postseason run that group has gained experience by playing in big moments together through the years and also has the motivation since this is their last shot at achieving their goals “They’re not afraid of the moment,” the coach said it’s the team that has the will and drive to push forward we have a bunch of seniors that don’t want their season to end and I don’t foresee that happening before Friday “They just have taken it to the next level and it’s been a pleasure to watch,” Mueller added “At times I kind of just sit back and let them do their thing and try to get out of their way.” It starts with Logan Zahour putting together what has probably been the best stretch of his time with the Bulldogs The second-leading scorer in program history is averaging 21 points per game for the season but he poured in 79 points in the last three wins then sealed the victory when he blocked a shot by Owls’ standout Jack Kohnen That was one of many defining moments in a playoff run full of them Mitchell Czajkowski caught fire in that game against the Owls netting 13 points during a game-changing 15-2 run that restored a double-digit lead after Slinger pulled within four points in the second half O’Neill poured in 21 points against Notre Dame and registered 14 in the wins over Port Washington and Slinger averages 12.2 per contest and has netted at least a dozen points in each of Cedarburg’s four playoff game even the people that don’t see the court as much as the starters like Graeme (Nowak) they can all score the ball and they have their games also and their moments,” O’Neill said when everyone can score and contributes to the squad.” Griffin French is the maestro that orchestrates the offense as the Bulldogs’ point guard The senior is the program’s all-time assist leader He can also get to the basket and finish around the rim posting 18 points at Nicolet and 12 against the Tritons everybody’s playing for one another,” Hallbeck said “We’re unselfish and it’s kind of all come together at the right time.” it was not that way at the start of the season While that was not the start the club was looking for or expecting especially after winning a regional title last year the team never panicked and kept working in the face of some early adversity “A lot of props to coach Mueller for keeping us afloat always telling us he knows what we are about‚” O’Neill said I believe it’s all of us coming together more for a collective goal.” And when time ran out Saturday during the sectional final victory patience and perseverance paid off as the Bulldogs punched their ticket to state “I’ve definitely put in some hours on the court so it feels good to kind of get rewarded for that “We’ve been playing with each other for like eight or nine years and us being able to get to this point is nice to see.” Up next for Cedarburg is a state semifinal game against Racine Park “We played them last year and they have a very very similar lineup to what we went against last year at the Luke Homan Memorial,” Mueller said about a 94-80 triumph played on a neutral court at Brookfield Central While some things will be different when the clubs meet again that contest provided the Bulldogs a pretty good idea of what to expect heading into a game set for Friday at 1:35 p.m “We know that they want to get up and down they’re going to press you and trap you on makes and misses they want to get out in transition and get easy buckets,” Mueller said “The big thing for us is we’ve got to take care of the basketball I think we have a team that can convert off of those traps we’re going to be able to finish on three-on-two be patient when we have to run half court offense and force them to have to play 20 I think we’re well-suited for the style that they play,” he added “They’ve got some great athletes and really physical kids We’ve just got to make sure this is a true basketball game and not a glorified open gym.” The coach added that Racine Park (26-2) is somewhat like Nicolet in that the club will be aggressive on defense athletic players that will also yield points in transition if the Bulldogs (20-8) can defeat an aggressive defense that wants to force turnovers and turn them into quick scoring opportunities “We know they like to get up in your shorts and pressure “We’ve got to take care of the basketball.” Hallbeck is excited for an opportunity to play at the Kohl Center went to watch the state tournament last year and is looking forward to taking the court “I’m going to have to take it all in,” the guard/forward said “I think it’s going to be quite the experience O’Neill said he has been looking forward to the state tournament since the Bulldogs finished off Notre Dame on Saturday “Being able to know you’re going to go to the Kohl Center just has a different feeling a real stadium and a bunch of people are going to be there,” he said about what he thought about as time expired in the sectional final Cedarburg hopes to have several cool moments this week The winner of Friday’s game will compete Saturday at 6:35 p.m taking on the winner of a game between Wauwatosa West (22-6) and Wausau East (20-7) which will follow the Bulldogs’ contest Friday The annual state tournament begins today with semifinal action in Div All state tournament championship games will take place on Saturday The parcel on the southeast corner of highways 60 and I has garnered close attention by many Cedarburg residents CEDARBURG — Though the Cedarburg Plan Commission has yet to officially make a recommendation the mayor and the three other commissioners said they do not want apartments at the site on highways 60 and I The Plan Commission directed City Planner Mary Censky to create a new land use classification for Smart Growth Area 11 that would be a mixed use of commercial and/or high-medium density residential SGA 11 is located on the southeast corner of Highway 60 and Sheboygan Road The commission has been working to update the Cedarburg Smart Growth Comprehensive Land Use Plan which addresses future development within/around Cedarburg and helps guide the community leaders and elected officials in future decision making economic development planning and future public investments but due to approximately 2.9 acres being an environmental corridor and/or wetland the site’s net buildable acreage is 14.1 acres The site is currently classified as part commercial and part (in the southeast corner) high-density residential (elderly housing 10.9 to 20 units per acre) The Plan Commission talked about the site either being classified high-density residential (10.9 to 16.1 units per acre) or high-medium density residential (5.2 to 10.8 units per acre) This site became an interest to many city residents after Milwaukee- based Mandel Group proposed a multi-family housing project A lot of residents have expressed that they don’t want more apartments in Cedarburg A large group of citizens attended the meeting on Monday and those that spoke kept their positions against apartments Richard Rytman asked what benefits some of these developments have on the community “Everything that I hear is a detriment,” he said “I’ve been here eight years; the developments I’ve seen I’ve seen it detract from the community .. just because you have land doesn’t mean you need to build on it.” Beth Maresh said she has been against high-density apartments and she and a couple of neighbors sent the commission a proposal for a mixed-use development She said it was a lower density that included single-family homes Other residents spoke about how they have seen traffic intensify over the years with the developments in Cedarburg on behalf of his family who owns the SGA11 site was in support of a high-density designation adding there is a demand for multi-family rental housing “Our proposed high density designation addresses the need and preserves Cedarburg’s historic downtown charm,” he said Commissioner Jim Fitzpatrick said he believes the most obvious use at the site is multi-family residential He added that though people have concerns like traffic housing and school district studies have not dissuaded him “To me that’s the best use of the property It’s what the property owner wants and I guess I’m in the camp of assigning a lot of value into the property right,” he said Commissioner Sherry Bublitz said she didn’t want the property to be a high-density multi-family area because it’s not what residents want “I completely understand Jim’s perspective that we want to take into consideration what the landowner wants to do with it but it’s not at the expense of the residents of the city of Cedarburg,” she said A few commissioners said they would support or be open to some commercial development on the property but Bublitz didn’t want to compete with the town of Cedarburg which is planning to develop commercial on Highway 60 Bublitz and other commissioners also didn’t think single-family homes would be viable there She suggested two-family duplexes and townhomes Commissioner Jack Arnett said he has changed his mind on apartments on the site after speaking to residents who don’t want apartments and are concerned with traffic citywide “I think Cedarburg has spoken and I’ve listened and I think that public sentiment is important,” he said He said he would support single- family or duplexes on the property Commissioner Sig Strautmanis said there is a fairness issue with this property adding that south of it is zoned as high-density Planned Unit Development (PUD) He also didn’t think single- family or duplexes would be feasible it set a precedent in my opinion and it set more of a fairness precedent .. but I think a well developed similar density project be fair,” he said Mayor Pat Thome said “no more apartments” has been her stance for the past few years and added that Cedarburg has a lot of apartments right now She thought a high-medium density would make sense if they put the cap on the maximum dwelling units per acre to 10.4 units “I do understand property owners’ rights .. I don’t feel a responsibility to ensure that the property owner is going to have the highest rate of return that they can possibly foresee on there .. I feel that I want to be fair but I want to do what’s right for the community and what’s right for the property and the property owner.” Strautmanis made the motion to create a new land use classification and listed the following compatible zoning districts that could go with it: - B-1 Neighborhood business and B-2 Community Business for the commercial portion of the site - RS-5 Single-Family Residential (maximum dwelling of 5.2 units per net acre) RS-6 Single-Family/Two-Family Residential (maximum 10.4 units per acre) and RD-1 Two-Family Residential (maximum 8.7 units per acre) for the residential portion of the site Censky said she will bring a proposal to the next Plan Commission meeting in May The newly designed building and newly opened clinic Chamber staff and ambassadors and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin CEDARBURG -— The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce and its ambassadors celebrated the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin clinic The building was for many years home to a BMO Harris Bank and The clinic offers internal medicine and pediatric care Pictured above are Chamber staff and ambassadors and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Below is the newly designed building and newly opened clinic Photo by Christina Luick/News Graphic staff Most of Cedarburg knows Michael Smith's name They know him as the city's beloved "G-man," or sanitary engineer a virtual one-man neighborhood watch program they can add another moniker to the list: a singer talented enough to be selected to sing the national anthem at professional Milwaukee sports games Smith has been chosen to sing the anthem at the Milwaukee Bucks game at 7 p.m when the Bucks play the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum Smith has worked for Waste Management in Cedarburg for 25 years most know him as the city's "G-man," short for garbage man Singing has been Smith's dream since he was a young boy growing up in Milwaukee He's nurtured that love by singing at churches of all denominations around the area and at milestone events for those in his community He said that every action he takes and every word he speaks is guided by a strong connection to his faith He even approaches his job as a sanitary engineer as though it were part of that same greater purpose of spreading the care and compassion he feels are so central to his religious beliefs Smith has received plenty of recognition over the years for his friendly demeanor and even occasional life-saving actions on the job but one experience in particular remains close to his heart Dorothy Stauske was watching her grandson at a park near her home in Cedarburg when the symptoms of a stroke hit She noticed a garbage truck passing by and waved for help Smith initially thought she was waving to say hello and began to continue on ran to her from his garbage truck and got help Stauske was taken by ambulance to the hospital where doctors later confirmed she'd had a stroke More: Cedarburg's garbage man doubles as guardian angel Retelling the story almost 15 years later still brings tears to his eyes Smith said he noticed a teenage boy walking home from school alone He pulled over the truck and asked the boy if he was okay Smith said he spent some time talking to the boy He told the boy that his life is precious and that he should keep his head up and trust in his faith to help him through He learned a week later from the boy's father that the young man was emotionally distraught over difficulties at school home and with relationships and had been considering harming himself Both the father and the son told Smith that his kind gesture was instrumental in lifting the boy's spirits "People mean everything to me," Smith said I'll do whatever I can to spread love and hope." Not every day's work is a matter of life or death every day is an opportunity to connect with his community and lift their spirits Smith looks forward to chatting with residents along his route people passing him in cars and kids riding bikes will wave hello and stop to talk with him Smith and his wife go out to dinner with some of the couples on his route goes on bike rides and attends parties with others the City of Cedarburg even tried to add language to its contract with Waste Management that would keep Smith on the company's Cedarburg route the city's director of public works and engineering Waste Management ultimately said it couldn't commit to that contract language but that their intention was to keep him on the Cedarburg route always waving and giving a warm hello when you see him," Wieser said Smith said the people of Cedarburg are like family to him As Cedarburg's population has grown over the past two decades his circle of friends within the community When he first started in Cedarburg 25 years ago That's not to say his work can't be challenging especially before the city bought trucks that automatically pick up garbage bins around two years ago and he has to reroute the next day in order to pick it up people exceed Cedarburg's waste removal limits or incorrectly dispose of certain items "But (my work) is still the most joyous thing for me and it brings so much happiness to my life just to spend a few minutes talking to people every day making them smile or encouraging them," he said Singing is a legacy passed down across generations of Michael Smith's family and is inextricable from their faithAs a young boy learning sacred songs at church and Michael Jackson songs at home Smith's mother and siblings also used to sing at the church their family would go to in Milwaukee His grandmother was both a singer and a pastor Smith himself sang in the church's children's choir and I've never had a singing lesson in my life," he said "I never needed one because I had them to look up to." he estimates that he's sung at over 500 weddings anniversaries and other events celebrating the milestones of those in his community Smith will take his talent and charisma to Fiserv Forum Smith's road to Fiserv Forum started at American Family Field A professional rapper who'd been booked to throw the first pitch at the Sept the company Smith works for and which also collects trash at the stadium They chose Smith for his 26 years in the business (he started out in Milwaukee) and his legendary status in the Cedarburg community there's a whole lot of people that could go out there and throw out the pitch he saw an advertisement saying the Milwaukee Bucks were holding auditions for national anthem singers but for his route to run smoothly so he'd have enough time to make it to the audition He arrived at the audition ― in his dirty work clothes ― 20 minutes before it ended who has spent so much of his life celebrating the lives of others in his community will now have another chance to be celebrated by them "I always like to do things to encourage people -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding a wild horse and burro placement event September 6-7 offering approximately 70 excess animals gathered from western rangelands at the Ozaukee County Horse Facility The goal of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 is to preserve and protect wild horses and burros as integral parts of a thriving ecological system in balance with other public resource values mineral and energy resource development and recreational access.  The BLM’s goal is to place animals removed from overpopulated herds into good Thanks to the help of its partners and innovative tools like the Adoption Incentive Program and the Online Corral the BLM has doubled the rate of private care placement over the last five years compared to the previous five years.  "The Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971 (Public Law 92-195) imposes a legal duty on the BLM to oversee and safeguard wild horses and burros in designated federal management areas," said Northeastern States Deputy District Manager Shannon McCrory the BLM is empowered to extract surplus wild horses and burros from the range to preserve the health and productivity of public lands."  Adoptions and sales will be held from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET on Friday, September 6, and from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 7. Appointments are preferred for adoption and sales. On both days, placements will occur in one-hour increments (five appointments per hour). Appointments can be made via email at BLM_ES_NSDO_WHB@blm.gov The BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program was designed to help improve rangeland health in overpopulated herd management areas in the western states and to save taxpayer costs for animals held at off-range holding facilities qualified adopters are eligible to receive $1000 after one year of issuance of the certificate of title for an untrained wild horse or burro The incentive is available for all untrained animals eligible for adoption with an adoption fee of $125 per animal.  Animals that are over 10 years old or younger animals who were unsuccessfully adopted out to new homes three times may be sold BLM staff will be available to identify these animals to interested Purchasers will receive immediate ownership of the animals To learn more about BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program, visit https://www.blm.gov/whb.  Visit the Wild Horse and Burro Online Corral to fill out your application to adopt a horse for pre-approval.  Cedarburg head football coach Brian Leair, 56, has announced his retirement after 32 years with the Bulldogs and I just felt now is the time to kind of just step back and wrap up my time in this position," Leair said He added it was a hard decision for him and his family to come to, and perhaps an even tougher one to accept for fans that appreciate the history made during his tenure. All of Cedarburg's 25 WIAA playoff-qualifying seasons have come in Leair's 29 years at the helm also highlighted by a 197-111 career record Brian put CHS football on the map," Cedarburg athletics/activities director Jon Hannam said coached with and worked with Leair as first a student and now as a returning professional to the district He credited Leair with changing the culture from the outset as a detail-oriented defensive coordinator when he originally joined the program in 1993 "Cedarburg was a perennial loser that was everyone's homecoming prior to Brian becoming head coach at CHS," Hannam said Bulldogs players were expected to see Leair before their first class to receive "Lines from Leair" in the form of various motivational quotes to inspire them over the course of their day or week Leair said the biggest lessons he tried to impart on each new team of Bulldogs were about the obligations that came with a commitment they were each making to something larger than themselves "You can't always control how things are going to turn out on a Friday night but you can control how you approach trying to accomplish something and giving your best," Leair said The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association 2023 Hall of Fame inductee was a five-time North Shore Conference coach of the year 2001 WFCA District 12 coach of the year and served as an assistant coach for the WFCA All-Star Game in four different seasons Cedarburg reached at least the third round of the WIAA playoffs in seven seasons including a 2010 Division 2 state title game appearance While the Bulldogs came up short against Waunakee in that title appearance Leair looked back with gratitude for how the community rallied around the program that year "The run to state during that time was extremely exciting," Leair said "I would say the highlights for me (of my career) would be making it to state and being able to coach my kids." Family has played a vital role for Leair throughout his career the latter two of whom Brian had the joy of coaching during his tenure Sometimes their support took the form of sacrifices as well His 1996 head coaching debut season involved a significant one that summer from Beth we got married and we had a brief honeymoon and practice started the next day," Leair said "Football has been part of our life from the get-go." Leair's life in football goes even further back He would later graduate from Hartford Union High School after a family move to the Badger state where he also lettered in basketball and football He was inducted into the Hartford football Hall of Fame in 2010 His coaching career does not quite date back to the era of spooling up grainy black-and-white footage on a film projector but he does have a VHS collection of game film from his early days before Hudl and other streaming services the technology that's available for scouting and game nights that you use none of that existed when I first started coaching," Leair said and everything gets sent and everyone has everything on their computer." While the high school game has opened up with more spread offenses that make the double-wing that led the Bulldogs to the title game look more rudimentary in comparison what kept Leair coming back season after season was what stayed the same Girls basketball highlights: Ameerah Grant goes for 56 points, Pewaukee dominates in Friday area high school girls basketball takeaways "Having kids year-in and year-out that wanted to work hard and really embrace the sport of football I felt that that hasn't changed," Leair said "I think I've always been lucky over the years to have kids that have really bought in and worked hard and tried to be the best they can be." Leair admitted that while the news had been shared with the team the reality that he would no longer lead the program has not yet fully set in for him It may take that first Friday night without a headset on while roaming the sideline for the finality to take hold in the high school environment," Leair said but it'll also be working with people towards a common goal and just the excitement of those big contests." Leair will continue in his role as a physical education teacher in the Cedarburg district and has not ruled out a return to coaching at some point While he will not grace the Bulldogs sideline in 2025 there will certainly be more "Lines from Leair" to come MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is accused of robbing a Cedarburg bank on Monday Court records show 20-year-old Solomon Moburg is charged with one count: robbery of a financial institution He made his initial court appearance on Thursday SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Cedarburg police said the Port Washington State Bank on Washington Avenue was robbed around 3:15 p.m. that day. Officers were called while the robbery was in progress. They arrived, set a perimeter and searched the area but did not find the suspect. According to a criminal complaint, a bank employee said the robber walked in and said he wanted money – "no dye packs." The employee said the robber then jumped the teller's counter and "corralled bank staff away from the station in an aggressive manner." He grabbed money out of a teller's drawer, jumped back over the counter and ran off. article Catholic Charities: former employees stole $1.7 million Police say employees helped steal more than $1 million from Catholic Charities in Milwaukee Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the robber Court filings said police identified the robber as Moburg "based on past contacts." A witness said Moburg got into a getaway car near Washington and Spring Additional surveillance showed Moburg going into the Grafton Target roughly 15 minutes after the bank robbery. It showed him making two cash purchases: One for an unknown amount of gift cards, the second for a cellphone charger. He left the store just before 7 p.m. Court filings did not specify how much money was stolen. Information in this report is from the Cedarburg Police Department, Ozaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court. DAILY NEWSLETTER All the news you need to know By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. love was in the air in Cedarburg Friday night this has been a fantastic time to be with the woman I love,” Cedarburg resident Joe and his wife Kathy were not about to change their Valentine’s Day dinner plans because of the forecast “We were planning on this for several weeks now we wanted to be out here and enjoy Cedarburg they were looking forward to spending the rest of the evening cozy at home. “Wipe off the car over there and head home,” Kathy said “Maybe even turn on the fireplace,” Joe added The winter weather didn't stop couples from getting a sweet treat at Amy's either Adrian and Cody Rossmiller made sure they got their hands on a Valentine’s Day delicacy They wanted a special treat for their 8th anniversary "I've been waiting ever since strawberry fest just to go get them,” Adrian said Watch: Love and snow filled the air in Cedarburg for Valentine's Day The snowy road conditions did change the plans for Aidyn Ness and her boyfriend Huba Hajdu "We did go to dinner earlier at 4:00 just so I didn't have to drive in the snow Because the other day I was driving and I was slipping everywhere The roads were kind of rough so tried to get out earlier,” Huba said They hope the roads are cleared by the morning I hope the roads are nice to go for that,” Aidyn said dozens of elementary schoolers in Cedarburg lined up in front of an imaginary fence just waiting to be released those young students grabbed as much food as they could to help 'stuff the bus' “People that need all that food get it to stay healthy and I just feel like it’s really important to make sure everyone has a fair life," Sierra Kraus The three participating elementary schools are Thorson The food drive supports the Ozaukee Food Alliance Stuff the Bus has become the biggest food drive for the community pantry the students and their families donated 7,225.14 pounds of food "It isn't just we're collecting a few grocery bags that can fit in a car We're collecting enough food to feed like a lot of people," Benjamin Brown this started as just a classroom food drive by two school district parents they outgrew the bus and needed to rent a semi-truck “And to show our children that it’s important to make a difference and there are many surrounding us in our community that do need our help," Shane The Ozaukee Food Alliance said the pantry is seeing an increase in demand each year so a truck stuffed with food will make a big difference “We’ve seen a lot of price increases with groceries so every year I kind of expect that maybe the poundage might go down But the families in this district keep surprising us every year by bringing in more pounds," Katie Draeger the other co-founder and Ozaukee Food Alliance employee Gathering food donations for a good cause is the most important thing But there is also something pretty big on the line for the elementary school that can donate the most food per student I just want to pie him in the face," Kora Shane if I were going to pie my principal in the face I think I would go with a mincemeat pie because that feels like it would be the messiest The school that gets to pie their teacher is Westlawn Elementary Have fun with the pieing and good job to everyone for making a difference in the community Here's a food donation breakdown by school: Watch excited elementary schoolers help stuff the bus.. CEDARBURG — A former Cedarburg man was charged in connection with the robbery at Port Washington State Bank in downtown Cedarburg Monday in part because officers recognized him in a video from past interactions with him was charged in Ozaukee County Circuit Court Wednesday with robbery of a financial institution when a man went into the bank on the southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Mill Street jumped over the counter and took money from the drawers according to a Cedarburg Police Department press release shortly after it occurred a bank employee stated that a male suspect walked through the front entrance of the bank and said he wanted money and "no dye packs." The employee reported the suspect then went over to the bank teller station and corralled bank staff away from the station in an aggressive manner The employee said the man took cash from teller drawers went back over the teller station and exited the bank The suspect was wearing a blue bandana face mask according to bank employees — there were no customers in the bank at the time Based on that and other descriptions of what the man was wearing police were able to find video surveillance from a local business located within the same block as PWSB Based on the video of the individual in the local business were able to positively identify the suspect of the robbery as Moburg Officers made contact with a person identified in the complaint as “witness 1” who officers learned is associated with Moburg The witness said he had contact with Moburg via Snapchat earlier in the day and Moburg requested that person pick him up at a location in West Bend The witness said Moburg asked him to take him to Moburg’s mother’s house so he could pick up his money The person said Moburg instructed the person to park in the alley near the corner of Spring Street and Washington Avenue and to stay with the car until he returned The witness reported Moburg exited the vehicle and returned to the vehicle approximately 20 minutes later and said Moburg allegedly told him to drive to Target in Grafton The witness said Moburg displayed money that was in his backpack and gave the witness $300 “The surveillance video showed Moburg enter Target at approximately 3:30 p.m. make two cash purchases and exit the store at approximately 6:51 p.m.,” the complaint said He purchased an unknown amount of a variety of gift cards The second purchase was for an electronic charging device for a cell phone This complaint is further based on records maintained by the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Program (CCAP) that state Moburg was convicted of felony escape-criminal arrest in Washington County Circuit Court Moburg is being held in the Ozaukee County Jail Pictured are the first members of the drum and bugle corps back in 1953 Pictured is Schoenknecht in 1966 as a member of the Thunderbolts CEDARBURG — A Cedarburg native wrote a book about the formation and history of the former drum and bugle corps and color guard group 'The Thunderbolts 1953 1993' by John Schoenknecht is available for purchase at the Cedarburg History Museum "The Thunderbolts 1953 1993" by John Schoenknecht is available for purchase at the Cedarburg History Museum "There are many people in Cedarburg who remember the Thunderbolts — whether they marched or they remember hearing the group practice during summer nights or they saw the group in parades and competitions," Schoenknecht said "All who participated remember the experiences and adventures they had — traveling in a bus staying overnight and sleeping on gym floors It also has a special place in Schoenknecht’s heart personally since he was a member from 1966 to 1973 The book tells the story of William Loebel a former band director at Cedarburg High School and how he formed a drum and bugle corps composed of band members "The Mercury Thunderbolts Drum and Bugle Corps was started because a group of Cedarburg High School students were impressed with the flash and pageantry displayed by the corps which participated in the Cedarburg Fire Department’s ‘Cedarburg Music Festival,’" Schoenknecht said The corps later became independent of the school and it eventually became a competitive Winter Color Guard that competed until 1993 history and photos for each year the group existed I became fascinated with the story of kids who wanted to spend their summers practicing marching in parades and competing in contests," Schoenknecht said but the Thunderbolts is a story about kids." "The Thunderbolts 19531993" is 162 pages and costs $35 The Cedarburg History Museum is open from 10 a.m Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m Schoenknecht will be at the Cedarburg History Museum on Friday In addition, those interested in purchasing a book can contact Schoenknecht at thbolt@wi.rr.com The book will also be available for purchase at the 25th annual Rotary Music Festival at 7 p.m July 2 at the Cedarburg High School Athletic Field Washington Avenue in Cedarburg is home to not one but two vintage Blatz Beer signs and they're right across the street from one another a tapas restaurant and cocktail bar that also serves $1 Blatz beers during happy hours Urban Spelunking is brought to you by Nicolet Law.  Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories in that station's most popular podcast.  A couple embraces Strawberry Festival from head to toe is excited to unveil the 2025 dates for its signature events The festivals showcase the best of Cedarburg’s charm and bring thousands of visitors to the city each year 16 — always the third full weekend in February lighthearted themed event with indoor and outdoor activities The 2025 theme is Hawaii Five-3O-1-2 — which happens to be Cedarburg’s ZIP code; ■ Strawberry Festival: June 28 and June 29 — always the fourth full weekend in June Cedarburg shuts down its main historic district and brings in hundreds of artists musicians and more to fill the streets for this two-day signature event paying homage to the humble strawberry; ■ K9 Carnival: July 26 — Because pets are not allowed on the grounds during the festivals organizers hold a small annual festival every year just for the canines; 21 — always the third full weekend in September Wine & Harvest Festival celebrates Cedarburg’s rich tradition in wine art and fun by closing the streets for hundreds of artists 5 — always the first full weekend in October This event takes place in the middle of the historic downtown under tents in true Oktoberfest tradition; and ■ A Cedarburg Christmas: mid-November through Dec A season where a Hallmark-like setting comes to life Festivals of Cedarburg partnered with 35 fundraising groups helping these local organizations and nonprofits generate more than $95,500 in revenue while shouldering the entire cost of the festivals It also retained enough revenue to ensure the vitality of the organization while still being able to fund a variety of initiatives and scholarships throughout the year org or follow Festivals of Cedarburg on social media a couple embraces Strawberry Festival from head to toe For more information, visit www.cedarburgfestivals.org or follow Festivals of Cedarburg on social media CEDARBURG — Eight people have thrown their hat into the ring for the Cedarburg School Board race this year The terms are up for board members David Krier and Stroebel and Charland are running again The incumbents are facing six challengers: Matt Bord The News Graphic has reached out to all of the candidates to get to know a little more about them and what issues they believe are important when it comes to the Cedarburg School District ■ Bord: Bord has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years Bord moved to Cedarburg with his wife and two children in 2014 Both his children are enrolled at Cedarburg High School "I am running to ensure Cedarburg residents have a choice in this election," he said "Many people I’ve spoken with are concerned about the increasing involvement of political parties in our School Board focusing on what’s best for students and the community rather than political agendas It's important we listen to all perspectives and work together to make decisions that benefit our schools.' Issues that Bord found to be important focused on teachers "These are highly educated and trained professionals,' he said 'We should trust them to make educational decisions for our children The school board's job shouldn't be telling our teachers what or how to teach but giving them the tools and confidence to be effective in the classroom." Bord added that the district needs to also focus on the morale and fair compensation for educators Bord also touched on the current sex-ed curriculum saying the district should take an approach that provides students the knowledge to make informed and healthy decisions plays a crucial role in students' success and we need to ensure our curriculum supports their wellbeing,' he said ■ Charland: Incumbent Charland was elected to the Cedarburg School Board in April 2022 She said in her position she is committed to academic excellence fiscal responsibility and strong partnerships with teachers and families Charland added that she is running again to continue to build on the district's success Charland moved to Cedarburg in 2015 to be closer to her family 'It's been a dream come true to raise my family in this special town,' she said Charland works as a senior consultant in health care IT specializing in project management and software implementation Charland and her husband have three daughters who are active in the community 'I'm grateful we've had the option for faith-based education that suits our family's current needs while remaining deeply invested in the success of Cedarburg schools,' she said Charland said her top priority is ensuring every student has the tools to succeed 'Academic achievement remains at the forefront — not because standardized tests reign supreme and math skills are the foundation of education,' she added 'These core skills are essential for any future a student pursues As Wisconsin faces a state-wide decline in academic performance made worse by the DPI's lowering of standards and proficiency levels I remain vigilant in keeping our focus on rigorous academics and ensuring every student leaves Cedarburg schools prepared for lifelong success.' ■ Demczak: Demczak has a background in engineering and business He also has tutored students through Acacia Academics Being a School Board member will allow him to help more students in the community continue to get a high-quality education Demczak moved to Cedarburg with his family from Ohio in 2018 for his job 'Even though our children did not go to school in Cedarburg the quality of the school district was still at the top of our list when looking for a home because it correlates with the quality of the community,' he said Demczak said he is running for School Board to keep Cedarburg schools 'on the right track of academic excellence and fiscal responsibility.' 'Cedarburg schools have been consistently ranked among the best in the state while having one of the lowest tax rates,' he said 'I am asking voters to support me in continuing this commonsense leadership in the Cedarburg School Board.' Demczak said the most important issue for the Cedarburg School District is maintaining a high academic performance math and science core along with critical thinking He added that parental involvement and teacher recognition also factor into that 'The challenge is to accomplish these goals while promoting accountability 'My leadership skills and passion for education will make me a strong advocate for students ■ Justinger: Justinger has experience working with school districts for the last 17 years as a school psychologist She had even worked for the Cedarburg School District for eight years I realized that my own family needed to be in this close-knit community," she said Justinger and her family moved to Cedarburg in 2019 and her children are enrolled in the Cedarburg School District Justinger currently works at the Mayville School District 'First and foremost I want to give back to my community,' Justinger said and it's important that the district is held accountable to its own mission statement 'To empower students to achieve their highest potential by developing academic emotional and behavioral life skills in a safe engaging environment.'' Justinger said it is important for there to be effective leadership at the district and school levels with a clear vision She added that teachers need to be properly supported listing things such as reasonable workloads competitive salaries and opportunities for collaboration and growth Another important aspect Justinger noted was providing programs and services that support every student and students that need academic and/or emotional support Justinger added that she would like to see board meetings streamed in real-time and to allow public comment times added to committee meetings on a regular basis ■ Larson: Before Larson moved with his family to Cedarburg in the fall of 2018 All three of Larson's children are in the Cedarburg School District; one attending Cedarburg High School and two children at Webster Middle School Larson is the senior minister at Ozaukee Congregational Church in Grafton 'We love Cedarburg — the close-knit family community that it is — and couldn't be more thankful to be here,' he said Larson said it is important for everyone to be involved in their community in a position So when he learned about elections for the Cedarburg School Board he felt this would be a good way for him to get involved our teachers/ personnel and our community and I want to contribute to making the Cedarburg School District the best it can be," Larson said One of the most important issues for Larson is the ability of the School Board and the community to engage in decision-making processes in a 'positive and respectful manner.' "I think I can be a thoughtful participant on the School Board in that regard," he said He also mentioned other things that he said require ongoing evaluation such as student safety teacher retention/ compensation and appropriate curriculum ■ Laurila: Laurila has a background in education; she began her career teaching fourth grade on the south side of Chicago She then pursued a graduate fellowship in Germany working in education she managed a mentoring nonprofit and worked at a family foundation reviewing education grants she taught German at the Deutsche Schule of Milwaukee Laurila has an undergraduate degree in political science and Spanish from Northwestern University as well as master's degrees in teaching from Dominican University and international relations from the University of Chicago Laurila moved to Cedarburg with her family in 2017 and all three of her children attend Westlawn Elementary School 'I care deeply about the Cedarburg community-especially our schools and youth I believe that my experience in education across a range of sectors can help move our school board forward,' she said Laurila said she is interested in promoting innovation within the school district 'How can we as a district go beyond performance rankings and instead think holistically about comprehensive education that incorporates research-based best practices?' she said 'I see this including an expansion of curricular offerings such as foreign language exposure in elementary school opportunities for project-based learning and more robust recess time These and other initiatives would place the perspectives of district professionals at the forefront ensuring we treat them as the experts they are.' ■ Stroebel: Incumbent Stroebel was elected to the Cedarburg School Board in April of 2022 She grew up in Milwaukee and received a Master of Science degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison She and her husband started a business together in Cedarburg and raised their eight children all who have graduated from Cedarburg High School 'I have always been grateful for not only the strong academic success the district has provided but all the intangibles that set my children up to pursue their life goals,' she said I hope to be re-elected as a Cedarburg District Board Member to maintain the tradition of excellence in our schools for current and future families.' Stroebel said she has actively worked with other board members on finding what is working for the district and ways in which it can improve 'The CSD cannot settle for the status quo,' she said 'I recognize it is imperative to continue to provide challenges for all students while celebrating their unique strengths and talents We must prepare students for the future so they are well-equipped as individuals for the path they may choose A spirit of respect and kindness must be instilled in everything the district does.' ■ Tozer: Tozer was born and raised in Cedarburg and is a graduate of Cedarburg High School She now raises her two young children in the community with the oldest attending Parkview Elementary School 'I have always called this my home and am proud to live here now with my young family,' she said 'I want the schools where my child and his peers attend to be places where they feel safe and supported so I understand the perspective of families that are in the schools Tozer has a professional background that includes retail banking Tozer said she would like to be part of a School Board that 'demonstrates a greater appreciation' for educators 'The board needs to utilize the full spectrum of voices at the table to advocate for public education and the allocation of funds needed to support every student in the Cedarburg School District,' she said Tozer expressed concern over the possibility of cuts to student programs in the school district high achieving and relatively conservative in spending what does that say about the state of affairs for others?' she said 'Our staff and students deserve board members that understand what's at stake for every one of our current and future students." Road construction season kicked off in Cedarburg on Evergreen Boulevard CEDARBURG — Construction started this week on Evergreen Boulevard from Bridge Street to Pine Street Work began on the water main in the northbound lane The city of Cedarburg provided a street and utility update to street projects happening this spring and summer by Vinton Construction Co _ Layton Street (Washington Avenue to the Ozaukee County Interurban Trail) during the week of May 26; _ Jackson Street (Washington Avenue to Hilgen Avenue) during the week of June 9; _ Fairfield Street (Washington Avenue to Termini) during the week of June 16; _ Alyce Street (Interurban Trail to Washington Avenue) during the week of June 30; and _ Fillmore Avenue (Garfield Street to Hamilton Road) during the week of July 7 All timelines are subject to change due to weather conditions or equipment breakdowns All work is scheduled to be completed by Aug contact Assistant City Engineer Dylan Urbanek at City Hall at 262-375-7610 or email at durbanek@ cityofcedarburg.wi.gov - Layton Street (Washington Avenue to the Ozaukee County Interurban Trail) during the week of May 26; - Jackson Street (Washington Avenue to Hilgen Avenue) during the week of June 9; - Fairfield Street (Washington Avenue to Termini) during the week of June 16; - Alyce Street (Interurban Trail to Washington Avenue) during the week of June 30; and - Fillmore Avenue (Garfield Street to Hamilton Road) during the week of July 7 For questions, concerns or special requests, contact Assistant City Engineer Dylan Urbanek at City Hall at 262-375-7610 or email at durbanek@cityofcedarburg.wi.gov