MEQUON — A Grafton man is in custody after allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from a building materials store over the course of several months has been charged with one count of theft in a business setting and another for unauthorized use of an entity’s identifying information or documents he could face a $35,000 fine and/or up to 18 years in prison a Mequon police officer was dispatched to Fastenal The company district manager noted that over $100,000 in charges were made on the company credit card by Jansen He failed to call or show up for two shifts and was terminated Jansen had access to a company credit card While reviewing Jansen’s email after he was let go the managers discovered that he used the credit card to pay for products but the products were never delivered to Fastenal The undelivered purchases were made to a company called '3M Hood Supply' and were linked to a phone number that was no longer in service Jansen had the 'Square' app on his cellular phone to process orders and generate receipts the Mequon officer received a spreadsheet showing all the fraudulent transactions dates and amounts There were 149 transactions totaling $123,495 Six of those transactions were connected to Jansen’s personal cell phone number and six digital receipts of the transactions listing Jansen’s number were also found The Fastenal manager told the officer that the card had been in his possession and believes any transactions by Jansen were done by typing the card number in The manager said that Jansen had some accounts where he would purchase safety hoods When employees from that business needed hoods they would purchase them from an onsite vending machine The manager added that Jansen should have been purchasing hoods from 3M and stocking the vending machine at the Milwaukee business which made complaints that there were no hoods stocked at their business the manager spoke to Jansen about those complaints and warned corporate he was looking into how thousands of hoods were ordered but never ended up at the businesses The manager recalled how Jansen looked shocked or scared when he was told flags were raised about the purchases A detective then reviewed the transactions made to 3M Hood Supply‚ and learned that the address linked to it was the same as Jansen’s The Wisconsin Department of Financial Instructions website also showed no company named 3M Hood Supply‚ registered with the state of Wisconsin The detective received information from Square/Block 2024 that was linked to Jansen's bank account account reveal purchases made by Fastenal and deposited into Jansen’s bank account The complaint notes that Jansen’s bank showed that he had two accounts listed and that an accumulative total of $210,272.52 was transferred into them Detectives were eventually able to connect with Jansen who declined to meet with them on the advice of his attorney The News Graphic reached out to Fastenal for comment The undelivered purchases were made to a company called "3M Hood Supply" and were linked to a phone number that was no longer in service Jansen had the "Square" app on his cellular phone to process orders and generate receipts SIGN UP 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: — Mequon leaders are looking for community input to help shape the future of Mequon Commons RELATED: As new season begins, Mequon supporters vow to save historic baseball field will host a hands-on community brainstorming workshop Wednesday to help move forward the Mequon Commons Master Plan The event will include interactive activities like visual preference voting and collaborative design sessions The brainstorming session will be held from 3 to 7 p.m Wednesday on the Mezzanine level at Mequon Public Market For more information, visit the City of Mequon website 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 Jason Morimoto competed on “Morimoto’s Sushi Master” season 2 – and he won Jason Morimoto, executive chef of Mequon’s Screaming Tuna Sushi, is screaming with joy. After over 14 months keeping secret the news that he competed on – and won! – “Morimoto’s Sushi Master,” season 2 As of April 25, the full season (six episodes) is available to stream for free on the Roku Channel Screaming Tuna’s chef Morimoto happens to share the same last name as the person for which the show is named – Masaharu Morimoto Each of the eight chef contestants has a cooking station and is given a pantry of ingredients to prepare whatever challenge they are given The winner takes home $25,000 and the title of sushi master.   Milwaukee’s chef Morimoto has had over a year to get used to his new title – in private I’ve always wanted to meet [Iron Chef] Morimoto But never in my wildest dreams would this be the way that it happened.”   reached out to Screaming Tuna co-owner Cristian Vega There’s no way that [Iron Chef] Morimoto or a rep of his is reaching out to us it’s not the kind of thing you pass up,” he says and together they did a Zoom interview with the cooking show people That led Morimoto deeper into the application process it was to learn that all eight chef-contestants had been selected for season 2 But the Milwaukee chef was not one of the eight they told him Morimoto was the “ninth chef chosen” and they wanted to fly him down to Atlanta he was unexpectedly bumped up to contestant “I immediately lost my mind,” says Morimoto Winning the title was a confidence boost for Morimoto who says he’s particularly proud of how he executed the Tamagoyaki Challenge the chefs were asked to create a tamagoyaki (a Japanese omelet) and feature it in a bento box “It makes me more confident of my skills… [and] it’s nice that people will see that there’s a lot of heart and soul put into what I make,” he says With Morimoto’s news finally out in the open They’re hosting watch parties on Sunday nights through May they’ll screen one episode and offer an open bar and buffet spread Reservations are required; the cost is $50 per person In June, Morimoto plans to offer his Omakase Dinner Series on Friday and Saturday nights only at the Mequon restaurant. It’ll be by reservation; two seatings of 12 each night “We’re going to make the dining area more private,” he says of the vibe “I’ll leave it up to you” – is a surprise tasting menu curated by the chef The Johnson Level & Tool manufacturing plant in Mequon will close next year Johnson Level’s parent company, Hultafors Group North America, filed a layoff notice with the state Department of Workforce Development on Monday The layoff notice did not say why the company plans to close the plant “The Company intends to offer severance benefits and transition programs “The Company will ensure that employees will be paid all earned wages and agreed upon benefits at the time of their termination.” The company will cease production at the Mequon facility on March 28 and will spend the next five months working “one-on-one,” with workers affected by the change according to a statement from Hultafors Group North America a subsidiary of the Sweden-based Hultafors Group The statement said the company is also offering factory workers open positions at its distribution facility in Richfield.  engineering and innovation for Johnson Level & Tool will remain at the Hultafors Group NA headquarters in Mequon,” the statement reads “We are currently finalizing our manufacturing plans and are evaluating both U.S Hultafors Group also said the closure of the manufacturing facility in Mequon will not affect its other North American operations in California or Canada Johnson Level & Tool was purchased by the Swedish company in 2018 said the acquisition was part of a strategy to strengthen the company’s presence in North America Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board While the Good City location in the Mayfair Collection in Wauwatosa has undergone its transformation into a new The Explorium Brewpub the taproom in the Mequon Public Market is taking a different turn 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.  Wauwatosa-based Ray's Wine & Spirits is opening a new Mequon location in 2025 The new Ray's shop will be at 7555 W. Mequon Road across the street from Outpost Natural Foods. It will sell the 63-year-old establishment's traditional fare of wine, spirits and beer with expert staff on site, according to agendas from Mequon's Planning Commission held a celebration where owner Orey Laev announced plans to open the new location "Ray's Wauwatosa will be a big brother or sister. There's going to be a Ray's Mequon coming to you in 2025," Laev said in a video of the event posted on Facebook and Instagram Laev tentatively estimated that the new shop would open just past midway through 2025 The new two-story, 13,500-square-foot building has been vacant since The Finial hardware and plumbing store closed in June of 2022. the Mequon shop will be home to a classroom that can accommodate around 32 guests for entertainment But this new location will have something new for North Shore residents the new one will also include a deli with fine cheeses and meats along with other packaged food for sale according to the Planning Commission documents Ray's in Wauwatosa was first established in 1961 and is known for having over 8,000 wines, 2,000 spirits, and 1,000 beers, according to Ray's website The Mequon shop will be the business's second location Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.(This story was updated to add a video.) — Mequon neighbors are vowing to save a historic baseball field generations of families have come to play and watch games at Mequon's Rennicke Field The diamond is the home field for Homestead High School while also hosting various other travel programs and events Community members became worried late last year when the city hired a firm to help re-imagine the surrounding Civic Center campus Mequon neighbors vow to save historic baseball field As the new Homestead baseball season begins one parent sought out TMJ4 to make sure their voices get heard Jennifer Wirth runs the Friends of Rennicke Foundation a group that originally formed as part of the local travel team Mequon Heat that Wirth also runs "The uncertainty over what could happen in the next few years is a concern," Wirth said "I think the community would lose out on a part of their history and a part of what has defined us as a community." The field is named for Don Rennicke, one of Homestead's first baseball coaches. More than 900 have signed a petition in support of saving the field Current Homestead seniors Jack Adams and Keaton Lewis said they've been playing at Rennicke Field for much longer "Dreams into reality to play here now," Lewis said when we're adults and we bring our kids here "This is where living in Wisconsin started for me and living in Mequon There have been no formalized plans yet, and there likely won't be for some time. The city is hosting an open house April 30 for neighbors to pitch their ideas the new owners of the Washington House Inn will be hosting an open house Sunday to introduce themselves to the community and allow people to take a peek into the historic hotel The inn offers breakfast every morning in its dining room next to the lobby The Washington House Inn offers 29 unique rooms The open house will allow guests to view some of the rooms in the main inn and the Schroeder House CEDARBURG — New owners Christine and Jeff McLean of the Washington House Inn see themselves as stewards continuing to preserve the history of the inn and maintaining its legacy in the community The Mequon couple purchased the boutique hotel which includes three buildings and the historic Schroeder House from Jim Pape and his business partners in December last year The Washington House Inn has 34 unique rooms including five rooms located in the Schroeder Guest House just a few doors down from the main inn Cedarburg is her "happy place," and she is thrilled to be part of a small town that feels just like a storybook to her She had always wanted to run her own small business "We both have a service mindset and I think running a small business especially one like the Washington House Inn which is such a cornerstone of the community The public is invited to meet the new owners at the inn’s open house from 1 p.m Guests will be able to explore some rooms at the main inn The couple both grew up in Mequon and attended Homestead High School They had similar desires after high school but different paths: Christine McLean going into the Air Force Academy and Jeff McLean in the Naval Academy The two got back in touch later in life and got married The McLeans are still Air Force reservists Prior to purchasing the Washington House Inn Christine McLean was working virtually for the software company Salesforce Being a "people-person times 10‚" as her husband put it she didn’t like working remotely and was excited to take on the hotel Jeff McLean runs his own consulting company; he will help out with the hotel as Christine McLean will be working full-time there The couple shares three young children who are eager to help out at the inn The McLeans never thought they’d own a hotel Jeff McLean said it just happened organically Christine McLean’s family have known the Papes for years When they found out the hotel was up for sale they took their time before making a decision Now the McLeans are taking time to learn the ropes at the inn from the longstanding employees Jeff McLean said it’s great that they have workers who have worked there for so long and know so much to support them and not get in the way" he said adding that they are also listening to their ideas Christine McLean said the best part of the hotel is the "awesome" team "I think hospitality just comes naturally to them and they’ve been really welcoming to us as new owners and they’re very helpful when I have questions about things," she said the McLeans have noticed that while many people may know of the Washington House Inn "A lot of people live so close for so long and have never stepped in," Christine McLean said which is one of the reasons why they are having an open house every room is different," Jeff McLean said "We’re super happy to be a part of this and continue a great thing," Jeff McLean said For more information about the Washington House Inn, visit www.washingtonhouseinn.com Ray’s Wine & Spirits a popular Wauwatosa establishment in business for more than 63 years will open a new location in Mequon this year as part of its first-ever expansion 13,500-square-foot barn-style building at 7555 W that most recently housed The Finial hardware and plumbing business which closed in June 2022 after more than 30 years in business at the location Ray’s touted the new location in a social media post on New Year’s Day Ray’s also posted a video to social media on Sunday announcing that the Wauwatosa store would be a “big brother or sister” to the new Mequon store. “We’ve always been looking for a second location,” Orey Laev, Ray’s president since 2015, said in the video.  spirits and beer with expert staff on site full time and have a classroom that will accommodate about 32 guests for “entertainment knowledge and social interaction,” according to materials submitted to the Mequon Planning Commission The Mequon location will differ from the Wauwatosa site in that it will sell fine cheeses and meats along with other packaged food for sale Ray’s plans to make improvements to the property including new exterior wood and upgrades to the parking lot and landscaping Ray’s opened its Wauwatosa location at 8930 W The current location also houses Ray’s Growler Gallery and Wine Bar on the building’s upper level — Police are warning about a rise of scam calls and emails in Ozaukee County while they attempt to find and arrest scammers Billy Boyle receives dozens of scam calls and emails each day one of them almost got through his defenses It was an order confirmation for what looked like malware protection a company he had recently worked with but had not ordered anything from Watch: Mequon neighbors say it's getting harder to spot scams "(Today it's) even more difficult to understand what's real and what's not real." That close call is a reality felt by thousands of neighbors in the area Captain John Hoell with the Mequon Police Department said they have been seeing a rise in a variety of scam calls and emails this year "They put fear in there so you're not thinking clearly," Hoell said "We're talking losses in hundreds of thousands of dollars." Many of the scams are familiar to the Department like tech support scams or when a scammer claims you missed toll payments One recent scam involves the would-be thief impersonating a law enforcement officer to demand payment for outstanding warrants The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office posted audio of one such call on Facebook she grew suspicious when the scammers asked for a second payment She helped police officers with a sting operation that ended with the arrest of a courier "We were there when the courier arrived for that second payment," Hoell said Mequon Police said if you do receive a similar scam call you should hang up immediately and/ or alert police if you are suspicious — Dozens of Mequon residents are on the hook for flood insurance that city leaders now believe they shouldn't have to pay When the Federal Emergency Managment Agency's new floodplain maps went into effect last year That resulted in dozens of properties in Mequon near the Milwaukee River being added to the floodplain were given an ultimatum to either buy flood insurance or move out the flood insurance is $1,300," Spanjar said "On the high end—the highest quote I got was $3,900 per year." Spanjar is currently spending the money for the insurance He said the process for removing his property from the floodplain maps is tedious and cumbersome It's a sentiment echoed by many homeowners in the same situation Andy Moriarty's backyard backs up to the Milwaukee River Watch how Mequon residents fighting against flood insurance costs: When he bought the home seven years ago with his family he was assured the home itself was not in the floodplain He's now paying $300 per month on flood insurance "It feels like we are being robbed monthly." The City of Mequon is trying to help the affected residents Mayor Andrew Nerbun said there was an error in the data used to draw the maps Based on the city's independent survey completed this month the flow rate of the Milwaukee River was overstated by a factor of two "Our bigger fear is there's residents who have been paying flood insurance for nearly 40 years that likely never would have been required," Nerbun said Cities like Mequon can petition to have the maps altered through a Letter of Map Revision (or LOMR) That is also a time-consuming and expensive process Mequon is currently exploring ways to file such a letter believing the flood level should be about three feet lower The city's contractor says between 100 and 300 homes could be positively impacted if the maps are changed FEMA's new maps were approved and went into effect in 2024 after a lengthy approval process "Updating the nation’s flood maps is a collaborative state and local partners that adheres to a standard adoption process," the statement said and FEMA regularly engaged local officials and community members throughout the Mequon Town Center neighborhood is undergoing several more improvements including relocating overhead utilities such as electrical cable and telephone equipment to below grade it has since 2009 systematically converted overhead utilities in areas of the Town Center where redevelopment activities have occurred which addresses the remaining overhead utilities along the southern edge of Mequon Road requires the city collaborating with multiple utility companies to sequence the timing of each company’s work in the field gaining more reliable services as utilities are less susceptible to damage due to weather and/or auto accidents,' the city wrote noting that the reduction of excess poles and overhead wires provides an additional aesthetic benefit All utilities are now placed below grade and equipment has been removed from the top of poles The new services will be activated over the course of this month and the overhead poles will then be removed the Town Center is comprised of apartments and retail space It is within the Tax Increment District (TID) No which was launched in 2008 and generally runs along West Mequon Road from the Milwaukee River to Wauwatosa Road Data shows that the district has seen 11 redevelopment projects consuming roughly 58 acres 30 acres of non-conforming uses into highly utilized and valued properties gaining more reliable services as utilities are less susceptible to damage due to weather and/or auto accidents," the city wrote — Two residents were taken to the hospital to treat their injuries after their apartment caught fire Sunday afternoon in the 10000 block of N one of whom was an elderly woman who had second-degree burns Damages to the apartment at the from the fire and smoke and water damage to the surrounding apartments caused them to no longer be habitable Watch: Large response for Mequon apartment fire: According to the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department (SOFD) The second sister tried to put out the flames but ended up getting burned in the process Southern Ozaukee Fire Chief David Bialk said the department was looking for a cat and a parrot inside the apartment Sprinklers in the apartment complex were only in the hallways and the basement Authorities called for a second box-alarm level because they were unsure how many people needed to be evacuated MAVIS box alarms are a mutual aid system where fire departments can call for assistance from other departments to help with calls that require a large response The cause of the fire is still under investigation president of Ashton Anderson; Mequon Alderman Brian Parrish; Mayor Andrew Nerbun; Subhra Gupta and Kuldeep Gupta Lily of Citizens Bank; and Michelle Armstrong a national daycare center franchise that will be situated for the parcel at 10921 North Port Washington Road "We’re thrilled to be breaking ground on our second Kiddie Academy location it means so much to us," Owner/Manager Kuldeep Gupta said "This isn’t just a win for our team but a proud moment for the families and educators who’ve backed our mission from day one trust and doubling down on our promise to bring top-notch early childhood education to more Wisconsin families community love and a big dream coming to life 13-classroom facility was approved in November and will be comprised of a brick building with aluminum storefront windows and metal awnings located at the south end of the site a kitchen and a drop-off lane accommodating ten vehicles It will also include a playground with three pickle ball courts and other play equipment situated at the west end of the site Despite initial traffic concerns from nearby business owners LLC recalled that the parcel was once slated for a 30,000 square-foot athletic club a project with a much higher density and trip generation than what any child care facility would have A comprehensive traffic study was undertaken and submitted to and approved by Ozaukee County and improvements were made to the road City staff revealed that the access points north of the development that leads to the Mequon Court Apartments on the main road between the Arby’s and Landmark Credit Union as well as the other to the south on the same road as Jilly’s Car Wash can all be used — A one-man band is the brain behind a tucked-away urgent care clinic in Ozaukee County Dmitriy Chester, APNP, has been running Medco Milwaukee for the last two years It is located just off of I-43 at Mequon Road “I think I am the smallest [urgent care] because I’m the newest one,” Chester said Chester knew he wanted to work in the medical field from a young age his father and grandfather were both doctors he immigrated to the United States in 1991 eventually earning two degrees from Concordia University “This is the only thing I’ve done my entire professional career,” Chester said Watch: One-man show drives Mequon urgent care clinic After almost two decades working in emergency medicine initially catering to people without health insurance His goal is to let patients know upfront what the costs are for his services you can either pay right away or bill insurance Dmitriy says the goal is to spend time with patients without expensive and unexpected medical bills showing up months later “Some people have a high copay and deductible which is causing them financial burden to reach out and seek medical care,” Chester said many of his patients are also Eastern European immigrants Other patients come from the same shopping center where he is located “They want a medical practice where they can talk to somebody who is fluent in their native language,” Chester said A Chase Bank proposed for Mequon could be the second in the city Pictured is the proposed design for Kiddie Academy MEQUON — Two new developments may soon set up shop along North Port Washington Road in Mequon’s northeast commercial corridor City officials took up two proposals last month one seeking building and site a plan approval to allow for 3,415 square-foot Chase Bank with a drive-thru ATM lane at 11001 North Port Washington Road in the former Ace Hardware site and the other for a 12,000 square-foot 13classroom childcare facility for the parcel at 10921 North Port Washington Road According to agenda information provided to plan commissioners which combines the national- branded traditional architecture by using the precast stone and red brick includes demolishing the existing structure Ltd.’s concept parking layout shows parking spaces removed from Towne Square Road street frontage as a result of the original plan not complying with the required setback Assistant City Engineer Cole McCraw commented on the parking lot specifically the two access points to West Town Square Road Since the east access point is shown as an exit only and is located in the queuing area for eastbound traffic he recommends that it be eliminated to prevent conflicts with traffic and located directly across from the west entrance at 11025N-11043N Port Washington Road or further west at the 1320 W McCraw also noted that city ordinance prohibits driveway connections within 75 feet of an intersection and that due to North Port Washington Road being under Ozaukee County jurisdiction the site work may require a permit from the county "As a former business owner that was in the building just north of that because that’s a challenging intersection," Commissioner Robert Strzelczyk said about having just one access point The applicant requested to further discuss access point locations and whether to include the exit-only access point or potentially move the one full-access driveway further east Just south of that and tucked behind the Arby’s fast food restaurant would be Kiddie Academy a national daycare center franchise with another location in Brookfield This other new development is part of the approved PUD that included 9 acres and five building sites such as Landmark Credit Union There would be a brick building with aluminum storefront windows and metal awnings located at the south end of the site a kitchen and drop-off lane accommodating 10 vehicles as well as a playground with three pickleball courts a mini soccer field and other play equipment situated at the west-end of the site they feel that their kid is going to learn something," Kuldeep Gupta of Bright Future of America LLC said The developers also felt that there would be more than enough space to accommodate the anticipated demand based on his other location and added that there would be room to the west for additional stalls if it became an issue expressed his concerns regarding the traffic predominantly the boulevard that is south of the Mequon Pavilions "That boulevard essentially control over 30 stores … traffic coming southbound on Port (Road) that is either going to turn into the pavilion or make U-turns," said Mark Haslam who owns The Feed Bag Pet Supply across the street "There’ve been several accidents at this intersection and I don’t want to point any fingers like ‘oh it’s because of development and all that.’ That’s the nature of development That intersection is going to become really really busy and I’m really concerned that we’re going to have a lot more accidents there." LLC recalled that the parcel was once slated for a 30,000square-foot athletic club City staff revealed three access points that could be used for the site: the one north of the development that leads to the Mequon Court Apartments the main road between the Arby’s and Landmark Credit Union and the other to the south on the same road as Jilly’s Car Wash it gives any of the customers at any of the different facilities multiple ways to get in and out in case there is a backlog," Assistant Director Community Development Jac Zader said adding that the city will look into including a no U-turn sign per county approval Among staff’s recommendations per approval are updates to the sign waiver and lighting and landscaping plans To help reduce any noise coming from the outdoor play area outdoor sports activities are limited to 8 p.m on weekdays and staff recommends that this area shall not be used beyond dusk regardless of the time was used to spelling out his words when people didn't understand him Starting in 2020, Jones began advocating for Mequon-Thiensville School District officials to grant her son speech therapy services. But with every request, Jones only received denials teachers would point out things that he was incapable of doing when it was time to actually advocate and say 'This child needs speech,' there was no one there doing that," she said a district speech therapist evaluated Kingstyn's speech and determined that his impediment could be addressed through at-home practice The scores from the examination were never given to the Jones family when Jones requested a copy of the evaluation that she found out her son had scored a 59 on his speech articulation test — significantly lower than the 85 to 115-point average among peers of a similar age According to an expert who reviewed Kingstyn's evaluation for Public Investigator that score indicates he was potentially dealing with a speech sound disorder that could cause increased speech challenges in the future "If I had a child with an average of 59 on a test of articulation I would definitely provide them with speech therapy services in school," said Lauramarie Pope a professor and speech language pathologist at Auburn University In Wisconsin, the special education evaluation a student is given plays a critical role in determining their eligibility for an IEP, or individualized education program According to the state Department of Public Instruction the evaluation must show that the student requires specially designed instruction Under federal law, school districts are responsible for ensuring any students found eligible for a special education are provided the necessary services for a free and appropriate education However, state funding does not cover the full cost of providing services to students with disabilities according to Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson Chris Bucher "Special education funding has been a concern for many years," he said More: DPI proposes tying school revenue limits to inflation, increasing special education funding a spokesperson for Mequon-Thiensville School District said the district "delivers educational services to all students providing every student the opportunity to participate fully and access district programs and activities." She said student privacy laws prohibit the district from discussing Kingstyn's case further the district offered Jones' son a summer IEP program with a district speech pathologist after Jones requested Kingstyn be re-evaluated She unenrolled Kingstyn and his brother from Wilson Elementary School shortly afterward “I'm just floored at how the sense of urgency or lack thereof is present at such an early stage of childhood development in one of the most prominent school districts in our state,” Jones said '360 degrees of neglect'Speech or language impairment is when an issue with speech fluency or language adversely affects someone's educational performance or social more than 26,000 Wisconsin public school students were identified as having a speech or language impairment according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction They made up nearly 22% of all IEPs during the academic year the district's IEP team found no evidence of speech or language impediment The evaluator also wrote that Kingstyn did not meet the criteria for an impairment in "speech sound production-articulation" — the segment of the exam in which he performed significantly below average "Kingstyn does demonstrate speech sound production errors that are documented to be delayed these speech sound production errors do not impact Kingstyn's educational performance or participation in social stimuli," the speech therapist wrote based on insight offered from one of Kingstyn's teachers But dozens of emails and correspondence between Jones and school district employees indicate that Jones communicated that her son's speech clarity and confidence in the classroom were diminishing she spent hours working on speech exercises with her son watching him grow frustrated with his inability to say certain words Jones continued to push for an IEP due to her son's growing insecurities at home But emails show that instead of offering IEP services to Jones a district speech therapist instead shared private and outside therapy options and YouTube videos Jones began to wonder if her son was being denied services due to the limited bandwidth of speech pathologists at the school rather than Kingstyn's lack of need “I'm not sure if the gatekeeping only occurs with marginalized children The Mequon-Thiensville School District did not answer questions about how many speech pathologists it employs. According to the state Department of Public Instruction, there is no statutory requirement for districts to have a certain number of speech pathologists on staff said Kingstyn's score for articulation was significantly below what most speech language pathologists would expect for a child of his age If children cannot produce sounds correctly on a daily basis it makes it more difficult for them to match letters they read to sound patterns which impacts their ability to learn to read and write "Having difficulty producing speech that is as intelligible as your peers could lead to a child being less likely to participate in class," Pope said "It could also impact potentially developing friendships with other children." Jones requested that Kingstyn be re-evaluated by a different district speech pathologist including stimulability and intelligibility two categories in which Kingstyn had been rated 100% competent in 2022 Stimulability is a child's ability to imitate a sound or word spoken by a speech pathologist Intelligibility is the child's ability to be understood Kingstyn was unable to repeat more than half of the tested letter sounds and only somewhat able to repeat a quarter of tested letter sounds a note from his teacher featured in the evaluation stated: "At the beginning of the year as he 'couldn't think of any ideas.'" As the year went on he slightly improved but with poor penmanship I'm still waiting for that answer,” Jones said the school district offered Kingstyn a series of summer speech therapy lessons But Jones questioned why it had taken so long the normalization and broad acceptance of her son's speech challenges was proof of a lack of care by school officials “It was 360 degrees of neglect,” Jones said In a meeting with Superintendent Matthew Joynt and other district staff members shortly after the re-evaluation Jones expressed her frustration with not being provided the results of Kingstyn's initial evaluation until two years later Officials in the meeting also agreed that an investigation into Kingstyn's 2022 evaluation should occur Jones and her then-husband submitted a complaint to the president of the school district and the U.S Department of Education Office of Civil Rights alleging wrongdoing by district staff and Joynt an investigator for the district concluded that the evidence did not substantiate that Joynt had violated any policies or laws The Mequon-Thiensville Board of Education said other aspects of the family's complaint were to be "addressed separately by the district’s administration." Jones decided to enroll Kingstyn at the University School of Milwaukee "From the time we got home to the time he went to bed That is how much he loved his teacher," she recalled "To rip him out of that and to have to now prepare him to go somewhere else was difficult." Kingstyn began speech pathology classes at his new school he is granted 40 minutes of private lessons with a speech therapist "We just knew within that week that he just overjoyed He's always struggled with 'L' sounds but now he walks in the house after class days and will say 'Mommy I love speech,' with an emphasis on the 'L,'" Jones said University School of Milwaukee does not have speech therapists on staff unlike the schools in the Mequon-Thiensville School District the financial burden on the family has been significant Jones now faces a $20,000 bill for tuition and $800 monthly for speech therapy lessons the stress of juggling Kingstyn's academic challenges her schooling and a divorce took a toll on Jones' mental health During the four years the family advocated for an IEP for Kingstyn Jones was pursuing a medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin and teaching part-time at Milwaukee Area Technical College Jones took several leaves of absence from work and halted her pursuit of a residency match program and I don't think anyone understands the magnitude of this situation," she told school district employees in the June meeting Department of Education Office of Civil Rights was denied in December officials stated that the agency generally does not resolve disputes over IEPs and said her complaint would be better suited as a lawsuit Though her son is no longer a student with Mequon-Thiensville School District Jones said her efforts to raise awareness about her struggle will continue How many other children have had to wait four years to be told that they are incapable?” Jones said Tamia Fowlkes is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at tfowlkes@gannett.com law enforcement agencies abandoned a case involving the death of a 7-year-old boy from Michigan whose remains had been found in Mequon dismissing charges against the boy's adoptive parents who admitted to killing their son but could not be tied to the skeleton at the time Wisconsin researchers and law enforcement agencies have solved the cold case of Markku Jutila ― born as Chester Breiney ― through genetic genealogy 8 release from the Ozaukee County Sheriff's office a Milwaukee woman picking wildflowers happened upon the head of what was then thought to be a young girl in a culvert off Davis Road north of Bonniwell Road and south of Pioneer Road in the City of Mequon according to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal published on March 28 police found additional remains in a partially burnt cardboard box and began an initial investigation law enforcement agencies in Houghton County were conducting their own investigation into a possible missing child Family members of William and Hilja Jutila had become suspicious of the whereabouts of the couple's adopted child and filed a complaint with police in Michigan Hilja's brothers had visited William and Hilja several times in Chicago where the couple had recently relocated asking each time about where the child was William and Hilja were questioned by Chicago police Police said the couple spoke to each other in Finnish in an effort to coordinate their stories during questioning unaware that the officer also spoke Finnish William eventually admitted the child had died in his arms after being beaten by his wife while they were still in Houghton We put him in a culvert," according to the Milwaukee Journal the couple also admitted to disposing of the child’s body in a ditch in Mequon while fleeing Houghton The couple had left Houghton in such a hurry that clothes were left hanging in the backyard and food was left cooking on the stove the couple claimed that Markku had been ill for several days before he was found dead in his room They claimed they traveled to Chicago out of fear of what had happened and dumped the child's body on the side of the road along the way Law enforcement agencies found that the human remains located in the culvert had features similar to Markku's Seven years after Markku's remains were found the Jutilas were arrested and extradited to Houghton County for prosecution charges were dismissed because of the "absence of corpus delicti and the failure of the prosecution to connect the skeleton of the child found in Mequon with the defendants," according to the release refers to the legal standard of evidence needed to prove a crime has been committed before a person can be convicted.) The case was left cold until October of 2023 a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh professor and chair of the Anthropology ran tests on skeletal remains identified to be related to the 1959 death in Mequon Karsten and Moos-Classon reached out to Neil McGrath Wisconsin Department of Justice special agent in the Division of Criminal Investigation an Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office detective Karsten explained how a radiographic comparison of the skull for Case 6426 matched the cranial and mandibular radiographs Moos-Classon had provided relating to the Ozaukee County's records on the case The researchers and investigators sought to identify the remains further utilizing DNA extracted from the skull and conducting investigative genealogy An analysis by Bode Technology Labs in May of 2024 determined the remains belonged to a male individual, but the DNA profile returned no matching results when entered into CODIS a national database of DNA profiles used to solve crimes and identify missing people investigators sought further DNA analysis assistance from Othram Labs investigators reviewed court records and 1960s newspaper articles including several from the Milwaukee Journal Most of the original investigative reports from the time were unable to be recovered due to the time that had passed McGrath sought records from Houghton County Probate Court and the Houghton Good Will Farm orphanage held by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services The records revealed that the birth name for Markku Jutila was Chester Alfred Breiney Chester’s birth mother was listed as Josephine Breiney of Houghton The adoption records also showed Chester was admitted to the Good Will Farm orphanage and was later adopted by the Jutilas on March 24 Further examination of the remains revealed they were from an individual who most likely suffered significant neglect based on dental health as well as new bone formation resulting from either infection "The individual may have suffered from rickets and also had a healed fracture on one of the left ribs," per the Sheriff's Office investigators entered the skull DNA into a public source DNA database which unearthed several matches to members of the Breiney family Josephine Breiney died in 2001 and had no living relatives who’d been implicated in the death of the child meaning there will be no future prosecution in this case So many children are affected by the trauma they receive at the hands of people who are supposed to love and nurture them," the Sheriff's Office said in its release A funeral for Chester Breiney will be held at 1 p.m Mary’s Parish Cemetery located off of West Beutel Road in Port Washington Donations in memory of Chester can be sent to the Lakeshore Regional Child Advocacy Center which advocates for children and is an integral partner to law enforcement Ozaukee County and surrounding communities "Although no one will be prosecuted for Chester Alfred Breiney’s death Chester may now rest in peace as the truth of his death is known No child should leave this earth like Chester did," the Sheriff's Office said "It’s been 65 years since Chester was murdered Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13 Several serious maintenance issues threaten the viability of the Mequon pool MEQUON — City officials are weighing their options regarding the operation of the Mequon Community Pool this summer Mequon’s Committee of the Whole Tuesday engaged in a robust discussion about the pool’s list of needs that are required to keep it not only safe for patrons One of those needs includes removing tiles in the gutter system According to Building Superintendent Justin Bodoh’s report the original pool was built in 1933 and has since undergone one renovation — the installation of a new pool vessel in 1984 A municipal pool in Wisconsin has a lifespan of approximately 20 to 30 years "To be able to open the Mequon Community Pool for the 2025 season a contract for the removal of the C807 gutter tile and the installation of a PVC overlay must be awarded even as it is only a temporary fix," according to the report which notes that replacing the entire gutter system would cost $500,000 while a temporary fix would total to $126,000 Buildings Division Staff spoke with pool experts from Badger Pool Carrico Aquatics and Neuman Pools about ongoing issues including the pool deck shifting with freezing and thawing and putting excessive pressure on the gutter system pool surface tiles to be shattering and popping off as well as minor leaking of the pool vessel through the gutter system Other issues the city pointed to that could force the pool to close are: - Failure of asbestos piping and other plumbing under the pool deck: $238,800; - Vessel heaving due to water build up over the years - Electrical issues and safety concerns throughout the Bath and Filter House: $43,925 - Failure of filter house plumbing including surge and filter pits due to age of components: $125,000-plus; and - Possible pool house shower area wall collapse $35,000 The operational cost for the Mequon Community Pool in 2025 is estimated at $142,000 2024’s total net sales of pool passes were $98,112.43 why would we keep throwing good money after bad let’s just keep fixing it every single time,’” Commissioner Brian Parrish said just got to hit pause and start looking into decommissioning it.” felt that shutting the pool down before having a plan in place is a disservice to residents we’re trying to save money because we didn’t put the money into the pool that we should’ve in the last 15 years.” Given the city’s intent to build a new aquatic facility in the future the Common Council ultimately approved a resolution awarding a $142,365 contract for the upgrade of the pool gutter system rather than replacing the system completely Bodoh’s report also lists some other issues not worth addressing if the pool is not operated long term Mayor Andrew Nerbun added that the development of the city’s Civic Campus Plan an ambitious project that expands to the Milwaukee River a riverfront park and connects to the village of Thiensville and Mequon's Town Center neighborhood will help speed up the planning process for a new pool and determine its location MEQUON — Milwaukee-based Cobalt Partners will purchase the 6.5-acre Hy & Richard Smith JCC Water Park located at 11015 North Market St size and potential are outstanding," Cobalt president and CEO Scott Yauck said in a statement earlier this week "We’re excited about the possibilities this site presents and the opportunity to positively contribute to the community’s vitality." The firm was selected to lead the redevelopment effort after a multi-month analysis and selection process It has not yet announced its plans for the property but is working with the city and neighboring owners to explore various options The transaction is expected to close in June "Cobalt Partners has a reputation for working productively with municipalities and delivering positive outcomes even when projects involve executional complexities," Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center President and CEO Mark Shapiro added which was operated by the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center closed after the 2024 season due to what the JCC said is a result of the ongoing national lifeguard shortage and the challenges that come with operating an outdoor pool in Wisconsin JCC staff said its currently developing new programs and events for members to enjoy this summer — Eighteen months after their installation traffic lights at a busy Ozaukee County intersection are still not fully operational causing traffic delays for businesses and residents Weston Road was a quiet industrial corridor just a few years ago it is one of the busiest intersections in town thanks to new developments like the Mequon Public Market and Foxtown Watch: Why these business owners say traffic lights are hurting their business: owner of Mad Rush Pizza inside the Mequon Public Market says the intersection has been a hassle to navigate "A work in progress for a number of years," Taylor said Mad Rush is one of several businesses in the market that stand to gain or lose business based on how easy it is to enter and exit the City of Mequon decided to install traffic signals more than a year ago The goal was to alleviate traffic concerns and make the area safer for pedestrians using the nearby Ozaukee Interurban Trail Although the traffic lights were installed in 2023 the lights must be synced with the nearby railroad crossing before they can become fully operational the city received approval from the commissioner of railroads to turn on the lights in a limited capacity "I think it was better when it was off," Taylor said you have people stopping on a flashing yellow." a bartender at Good City Brewing in the market which will soon become a barbecue restaurant can see the traffic lights from behind the bar "[I've seen] a lot of cars getting pulled over," Ziel said there have been five crashes at the intersection since the lights were installed The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is usually responsible for coordinating that work with the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad negotiations have been delayed due to contract talks between WisDOT and WSOR TMJ4 News reached out to WisDOT Communications Manager Dan Sellers for comment "WisDOT continues to work with the City of Mequon on options for implementing the interconnection between the traffic lights and nearby railroad crossing warning signals," Sellers said in an emailed statement Thursday afternoon The city now plans to contract directly with WSOR to sync the lights The plan is to have the lights fully operational by year's end Pictured is the 2007 Floodplain Map that listed the flood elevation on the Milwaukee County segment to be higher than Mequon’s side The city claims that these floodplain lines were artificially redrawn in the 2024 maps and as a result burdened Mequon land with a floodplain designation MEQUON — An independent review of the FEMA floodplain maps have confirmed several technical issues including that the flow rate used for the Milwaukee River in the original 1991 model was overstated by a factor of two Mequon city officials authorized the review after uncovering potential issues with the floodplain modeling techniques and data over the past few months hiring M Squared Engineering in October to find other errors potentially affecting the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-FEMA’s updated floodplain maps City officials said they were forced to adopt in July to avoid the city from being ineligible for FEMA Floodplain Insurance The results of the review were presented to the Mequon Committee of the Whole Tuesday though the analysis ultimately found it would cost the city tens of thousands of dollars to request a change in addition to the discrepancy in water flow rates relate to modeling data for the cross sections of the river channel as well as the condition of the river banks a higher flood elevation was observed at the northern end of the Milwaukee County segment than at the southern end of the Mequon segment despite being physically impossible since the river flows north-to- south The revised maps were "smoothed out" by artificially raising the elevation on the Mequon side The city noted that the WDNR’s modeling technique to develop the original floodway maps was described by the person who developed the technique as a method that ‘‘tends to be somewhat subjective in nature" and further acknowledged that "every modeler seems to have their own preferences and philosophies." M Squared Senior Civil Engineer Kendra Gabbert said they looked at ineffective flow areas which are used to show the areas behind the road embankment that may not be conveying flow as part of the floodplain It was recommended to adjust these areas around bridges and the Thiensville Dam “We thought it would be beneficial and result in more accurate BFEs (base flood elevations) to refine those ineffective flow areas,” she told Committee of the Whole members Another component Gabbert and her team feel should be adjusted are the Manning’s N values or coefficients that measure the roughness of the channel and the overbank area Gabbert explained that the higher the N value the more obstruction or vegetation you might have in the channel and the slower the water flows which means the water depth goes up The report also suggests that the city update the floodway limit analysis used in the model so that it aligns with FEMA’s process for floodway delineation M Squared updated the modeling and revealed several BFE reductions along the Milwaukee River The average BFE reduction from Pioneer Road to Highland Road would be 2.9 feet and from there to County Line Road 1.8 feet City staff estimates that up to 300 properties could see financial relief from the reductions by eliminating the requirement for flood insurance while also allowing dwelling improvements without a financial limits would need to pursue a Letter of Map Change that would require DNR and FEMA approval a process that costs the city $75,000 and would take approximately 12 to 18 months to complete “This is all a point of the city trying to do the right thing by the residents and make sure that the people that are impacted by this have the least amount of impact as possible or at least something that’s accurate,” Alderman Robert Strzelczyk added also questioning why the city would have to pay for someone else’s mistake Mayor Andrew Nerbun believes that the sum of money is manageable and that the city should move forward with the Letter of Map Change process The tax agency said there were four registered bidders seeking to buy the four-bedroom The property auction was held Thursday at the Ozaukee County Courthouse and the IRS required a minimum bid of $990,000 The agency described the property as a "stately colonial home on a private wooded lot in Beechwood Farms with natural light The house had been the home of Eric Lenzen, once a prominent Milwaukee lawyer Leznen was convicted last year and sentenced to 16 months in prison Lenzen led the national Financial Services & Capital Markets Industry team at the Milwaukee law firm of Husch Blackwell. Later, he and and six other partners joined Dykema Law His law license is currently suspended for disciplinary and other reasons, according to wisbar.org Contact Cary Spivak at (414) 550-0070 or cspivak@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cspivak MEQUON — From an alternate contestant selection out of Milwaukee to a television champion it’s a milestone moment for Screaming Tuna’s rising star sushi chef Morimoto — who shares a last name but is not related to Chef Masaharu Morimoto — has been named the winner of Morimoto’s Sushi Master Season 2 on The Roku Channel Morimoto is the executive chef of Screaming Tuna Mequon and former executive chef of Screaming Tuna Milwaukee Competing against seven chefs from across the country Morimoto won a variety of Japanese cooking challenges over six episodes to advance to the grand finale The winning eight-course challenge included: Seared Salmon Belly sushi and television legend Chef Masaharu Morimoto Also starring Michelin-starred Chef Phillip Frankland Lee of Top Chef as head judge Morimoto’s Sushi Master is the world’s first sushi competition show Screaming Tuna will host a series of watch parties at the Mequon Public Market Morimoto will launch an evolution of his popular omakase dinner series Watch party tickets and additional details can be found at ScreamingTuna.com Both seasons of Morimoto’s Sushi Master are available to stream for free on The Roku app — Two sisters injured by a Sunday fire are now on the mend On Sunday, a fire tore through JoAnne and Lynn Bauer's condo where the two sisters had lived for five decades Both received treatment at the hospital following the fire Lynn suffered serious second-degree burns trying to put out the fire who is now one of the pair's closest friends "The bond that they have between them is like nothing I've ever seen," Snyder said "When you lay down to go to sleep at night you just thank God for everything that you do have Watch: Sisters on the mend after Sunday condo fire The pair of sisters had both retired from long careers Lynn is still receiving medical care at a burn unit It will likely be six months before the apartments are livable again If you'd like to learn more, Cherrina created this GoFundMe to help the sisters begin to rebuild and find temporary housing Customers recently enjoy Good City Brewing’s wide variety of beers and other drinks MEQUON — After what they said was careful analysis and collaboration with the property owner the Explorium Hospitality Group has closed the Good City Brewing location in the Mequon Public Market The Explorium co-owner Mike Doble explained that the market has a local business owner interested in the space and that they needed to focus their resources on the other five locations in its group "This was an amicable decision on the part of the property owner "This location is a stretch for us geographically in relation to our other locations and operating in a public market space presented challenges we were not confident we could overcome we didn’t feel we could give it the necessary attention to make it thrive even though we feel a local operator could make that bar space an amazingly successful spot!" Doble said that the difficult part of the decision was informing the location’s current staff many of whom live in the local community and have worked for Good City for multiple years "We are grateful for the time and dedication they have given to both Good City before us and now Explorium for a short time," the co-owner added noting that they offered to connect them all with the new operator as well as find a position for them at any EHG location "So far we have placed the kitchen staff and one bartender at other EHG locations." first opened in the Public Market at 6300 W The EHG acquired all Good City Brewing locations earlier this year Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Wis.— Newcastle Place in Mequon is a long-standing nursing home facility offering long-term care and rehab services.  Newcastle Place was recently recognized as one of the best Nursing homes nationally by U.S. News and World Report. They ranked high in their short-term rehab and were among 40 nursing home in Wisconsin to receive recognition Newcastle Place said they feel their staff is a big reason why they are seeing success Geoff Minarik is the health center administrator at Newcastle Place and he has been there for only seven months he’s made an impact on the staffing shortage the facility was seeing and hired around 35 people in six months or so He said he wanted to make a difference and leave an impact on residents that’s the first person that they meet is a nurse or a social worker or a therapist and that interaction is so important to me,” Minarik said I was doing 12,14,16 interviews a week for nurses One of the recently hired team members by Minarik is social worker Cedric Addison Addison has over 20 years of experience in social work and said he’s been able to jump right into the fast-paced environment and their family member navigate their needs really assessing and seeing where they are at,” Addison said “The services that are needed in the community as well as making sure that they have a good stay,” Staff work around the clock with residents and patients at the facility Minarik said it’s one of the many reasons hiring and maintaining a staff is so important “Being the person who oversees the amount of caring and compassionate people “It gives me a fulfillment like nothing else." The staff have been able to make an impact in just a short amount of time for both residents and the facility.  The new Ray’s Wine & Spirits location will fill the former Finial retail building at 7555 W MEQUON — Ray’s Wine & Spirits announced on social media that it will officially be opening its second location at 7555 W we’ve always been looking at second locations," Owner Orey Laev said in an Instagram post spirits and beer with expert staff on site full-time and provide special orders According to agenda information provided during the city of Mequon’s September 2024 Planning Commission meeting the store includes a deli with fine cheeses and meats along with other fine packaged food for sale It will host a classroom accommodating more than 30 guests for entertainment Classes are held on average twice per week and otherwise accommodates rentals for the space which is two stories and 13,500 square feet a repaired parking lot and updated landscaping The operations will include 10 to 14 new full-time equivalent employees and will be open from 9 a.m MEQUON — A person driving by a home on Wauwatosa Road south of Highland Road Monday night called 911 when they saw fire coming from the roof of a home Mequon Fire Chief David Bialk said the family was having a fire in the fireplace at the time He said windy conditions made it a little more challenging to extinguish the fire Photo by Christina Luick/News Graphic staff MEQUON — After serving the Mequon Police Department for 25 years and as chief for five Patrick Pryor has announced his retirement "It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Chief Pryor who is a key member of the city’s executive management team," said City Administrator William Jones "Pat’s steady leadership and commitment to the safety and well-being of Mequon and its residents have led to numerous improvements within the Police Department he has represented both the department and this city with integrity He is the consummate professional and a credit to law enforcement who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and law studies from Marquette University as well as a certification from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the city of Milwaukee in 1995 before transitioning to Mequon as one of its police patrol officers in 1999 He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2005 and administrative sergeant in 2010 he was appointed to police captain and two years later was formally appointed as Mequon’s eighth police chief "I never had to worry about the Police Department," former Mequon Mayor John Wirth said "Chief Pat Pryor is knowledgeable and professional but he is one of the most honest and ethical people I know." Pryor directed and managed the overall operations of the Department whether it was formulating and managing the departments annual budget state and other local law enforcement agencies He served as the Department’s liaison to the Mequon Public Safety Committee the City’s Board of Police Commissioners and Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Criminal Justice Advisory Committee Among Pryor’s efforts to improve departmental operations were helping the Department achieve status as a Full Accredited Police Agency by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group in 2022 playing a leading role in consolidating the city’s emergency dispatch center with Ozaukee County and yielding significant cost savings and efficiencies across both entities His work to advance Information Technology within the Department also led to the establishment of a Public Safety IT Specialist position in 2019 the installation of flock safety cameras throughout the city and the implementation of body-worn and squad-car cameras in conjunction with the city’s commitment to enhancing trust He is also credited with restructuring and rebuilding the department’s Citizens Police Academy an educational program that allows residents employees and students the opportunity to learn about the functions of the department firsthand The city noted that the annual academy graduated its 25th class last month Pryor is married to Grace Elizabeth and is the father of Connor and Brendan He is looking forward to traveling and spending more time with his family I offer my deepest gratitude for Chief Pryor’s tireless service I wish him all the best in his future endeavors confident that his next chapter will be as impactful as his time with us,” added Mayor Andrew Nerbun Pictured is a rendering of what the third-floor cancer center will look like following renovations at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Mequon Health Center MEQUON — Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Mequon Health Center at 11430 N Port Washington Road is undergoing expansion on its first and third floors which included adding DXA scanning for bone density and five new non-oncology infusion chairs the shell space on the third floor is being built out to include a Cancer Center Two new specialties — urology and pulmonary — will also be offered at the Health Center once the project is completed in August Rendering courtesy of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin As part of a new statewide effort to reduce gun violence Tony Evers is praising firing range owners who have a program to store their customers' guns Evers also backs the sale of gun safes to be used at home Evers has often spoken in favor of adding what he calls common-sense gun regulations so he may not be the first person you think of as willing to tour a firing range and visit a gunfire simulation room 14 at Bear Arms Boutique Firing Range near an industrial area along Granville Road in Mequon Founder and co-owner Cheryle Rebholz gave Evers a tour of the six-year-old business including a room where videos showed various threats — like a man entering a coffee shop and opening fire You would have someone here holding on to this firearm and trying to shoot back And then you can debrief to see where you shot so you can improve your skill set," Rebholz says Rebholz says that in another training video The tour then moved on to the building’s indoor firing range which is used by a variety of individuals and firearms training classes but the women in the group did," Rebholz says The tour also included a stop at a display area where gun safes—for use at homes Bear Arms co-owner Mark Rebholz showed Evers how an alarm goes off when an unauthorized person tries to open a safe Bear Arms also offers a five-dollar-a-month gun storage service for registered customers to bring in their firearms Cheryle Rebholz says she began the program about four years ago after speaking with experts at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Veterans Administration about gun-owning veterans going through post-traumatic stress or other problems no questions asked up to 90 days," Rebholz says WUWM asked if the storage has made a difference in safety it’s made a difference for the cooling off period,” Rebholz says Rebholz says the storage is now available to more than veterans Evers says a statewide Office of Violence Prevention he announced yesterday will encourage more gun shops and firing ranges to offer gun storage We just want to make sure that they are handled correctly and gun safes are certainly one of those ways to do that We’d be willing to work with places like this to make sure that happens," Evers says Evers is using an executive order to direct $10 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to pay for the state office which will also administer grants for local gun violence prevention State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Racine County) is dismissing the idea of putting state funds into the new office Evers says firing ranges like Bear Arms Boutique see the value of violence prevention A Planet Fitness is being proposed to occupy the rest of the 42,330 square-foot property in the Mequon Marketplace that had been vacant from 2011 until February of this year MEQUON — After Mequon’s Ace Hardware earlier this year filled more than half of the former Pick ‘n Save building at 11300 N Port Washington Road that had been vacant for over a decade it appears the city of Mequon may have found its newest tenant to occupy the remaining 15,000-plus square-foot space Mequon’s Planning Commission OK’d Black Duck Partners’ request for a conditional use grant to operate a Planet Fitness an international fitness franchise with more than 2,500 facilities in six countries The Neenah-based company operates 128 locations According to information presented during the Sept the proposed activities of the use will fit the character of the surrounding area which allows fitness centers as a conditional use The fitness center would be open Monday through Sunday with an estimated 15 employees during the busiest shift City staff noted that the site has ample parking to meet peak demand and that the city of Mequon Police Department did not have any objections to the 24-hour fitness center if they comply with the staffing and security plans A new indoor ice skating facility and remodeled restaurant operated by The Stillery are planned for the former Libby Montana space in Mequon The bar and restaurant closed in August after 24 years in business at 5616 W The new plans come from Commerce Street Holdings LLC are tied to Barrett Lo Visionary Development which developed The Moderne and The Couture mixed-use high rise apartments in downtown Milwaukee Dan Beyer of Dan Beyer Architects created the blueprints for the Mequon development and presented the concept in front of Mequon's Planning Commission which approved the proposal at its July meeting The new concept will include an indoor ice staking rink in the former indoor volleyball dome a remodeled restaurant that will be operated by The Stillery The plan said the ice skating rink would be smaller than a regulation-sized hockey rink and will cater to youth and area high schools "Instead of diving 30 miles down to the Rock (in Franklin) or someplace this gives them an opportunity to have something on the north side of Milwaukee," Beyer said during the commission meeting The plan also said it would host small-sided adult leagues with teams consisting of four or five players The developer and Mequon's planning staff made an agreement that there would be no adult leagues on Fridays and Saturdays to ease the strain on potential traffic in the area The restaurant portion will be remodeled and operated by The Stillery which has locations in Richfield and Grafton The remodel will include moving the primary entrance north on the property (farther from West Donges Bay Road and closer to the current volleyball warehouse) and outdoor seating with green space for lawn games BLVD and The Stillery did not respond to requests for comment Beyer could not comment further on the development at this time Libby Montana Bar and Grill served food including bar fare and pizza, plus hosted adult volleyball leagues in its indoor volleyball dome until it closed on August 13, according to a Facebook post about its closure. "Animal House" actor Mark Metcalf, and his ex-wife, Libby Wick Libby Montana's Facebook page has remained active since the restaurant's closure with posts encouraging patrons to visit their staff at the bars and restaurants they are now working at MEQUON — A 79-year-old woman was transported to a hospital with second-degree burns after a Mequon fire Sunday afternoon According to Southern Ozaukee Fire Department Chief David Bialk heavy fire and smoke coming from a 16-family condominium/apartment complex on North Ivy Court was reported around 3:30 p.m Police were first on the scene and reported someone had suffered burns Bialk said an ambulance was coming back from the hospital and arrived in three minutes to take care of the patient before fire trucks arrived which Bialk said the exact cause has not been determined began in a second floor apartment where two elderly sisters lived One of the sisters attempted to put the fire out and received burns She was then transported to Ascension Columbia St Mary's - Regional Burn Center in Milwaukee everyone had self evacuated but we still had to make sure everybody was out so we had to search the entire building,” the chief told the News Graphic “And the fire was just contained to that one apartment but there was just a lot of smoke damage throughout the building or complex.” Bialk added that a bird and a cat died during the incident Of all the professional hockey players a young Anders Bjork watched skate at the Bradley Center half his life ago Mark Van Guilder would become Bjork’s brother-in-law And Cal O’Reilly would become his teammate so I want to be smart about that and make sure my body was feeling ready and it really wasn’t for a while,” said Bjork But we were so deep in the season that teams weren’t really making calls and I was very fortunate that Milwaukee needed a guy The Milwaukee Admirals’ Anders Bjork grew up in Mequon was from Michigan and was an All-American hockey player at Notre Dame He and wife Patricia moved to Mequon in 1995 for his job in investment management The others went to Homestead High School; he spent one year at Marquette before moving to Ann Arbor Drafted in the fifth round by the Boston Bruins in 2014 Bjork played for Notre Dame for three seasons was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as one of the top 10 players in college hockey two-plus with the Buffalo Sabers and one-plus in the Chicago Blackhawks organization – including some AHL time with all three – Bjork signed an AHL deal with the Rockford IceHogs last season so I was kind of rehabbing and couldn’t get a contract and just didn’t get any offers I liked,” said Bjork “And when Milwaukee went down a couple forwards More: Milwaukee Admirals’ Luke Prokop sees progress in his game, in acceptance of a gay hockey player More: Goalie Matt Murray has a master’s and a national championship, and is earning ‘high marks’ with the Admirals This sort of thing happens frequently midseason as prospects earn their shot with the parent Nashville Predators, injuries at Nashville result in call-ups from Milwaukee and Admirals general manager Scott Nichol looks for players to restock Bjork had been skating with small college teams While he would have been ready to go in September the extra time without heavy contact probably was better for his shoulder in the long run “It was very easy transition to get to know (teammates); a day and a half and I felt comfortable around them,” Bjork said emulate the culture that the guys you know have worked hard to build here They went over the system with me right away So I felt like it was an easy transition for me.” Admirals head coach Karl Taylor was happy to get a skilled forward with speed and significant NHL experience and the coaching staff will learn his game and help him show more than he already has He’s been an enjoyable player to be around And those are the type of guys that usually you get max effort out of and it’s been great so far.” Bjork joined the Admirals for their road trip to Rockford on Jan played for the first time six days later and in his third game scored the winning goal in overtime against the IceHogs with an assist from the 38-year-old O’Reilly Heading into a Friday-Saturday series with the Grand Rapids Griffins at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Bjork has three goals and an assist in eight games “He understands what he did well there to gain that (NHL experience) and he probably understands what didn’t go well and then he’s got to fight to try to get back there now,” Taylor said “We’ve had a good track record here with having second-chance players “There’s all kinds of guys that have come here and relaunched their career And I’m sure he’s hoping that that’s what happens with his opportunity here.” More: Bob Uecker's plaid sport coat Admirals hockey jerseys are making a comeback Bjork tried to block out the idea he might need a Plan B if his hockey career were to have ended in such a disappointing fashion you’re you start worrying a little bit,” he said just trying to focus on bettering myself as a person and a hockey player as well.” Kirt is happy to have the opportunity to see more of his first son play professionally closer chances with the division rivalry bringing the IceHogs to Milwaukee six times cheering on the Admirals at the Bradley Center,” he said  Some people who are unhappy about the Highland Road freeway interchange say there are too many signs and poor visibility at night MEQUON — A recent spike in citizen complaints has led city of Mequon officials and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to determine ways to improve the Highland Road freeway intercha MEQUON — A recent spike in citizen complaints has led city of Mequon officials and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to determine ways to improve the Highland Road freeway interchange the city has received numerous concerns about the roughly two-year-old interchange created to help relieve crowded traffic volumes The complaints include excessive signage and low visibility at night as well as partial obstructions affecting drivers exiting Interstate 43 and turning west onto Highland Road The stop sign for westbound traffic was also noted to be not easily visible Several community members expressed their frustration on social media with one calling the area "poorly engineered "The visibility from the northbound off-ramp to the west (and vice versa for traffic on Highland coming from the west) is very limited unless you’re in a giant truck," according to one Facebook post "I encountered multiple drivers on Highland run through the stop sign because they didn’t see (and/or didn’t look to see) cars on the off-ramp Improving visibility or turning it into a light-controlled intersection would be a vast improvement." Mayor Andrew Nerbun commented that he and other staff members have met with Wis-DOT several times — most recently in mid-December — to discuss the traffic safety feeling as though there is an “extreme hesitation” to make any improvements Among the proposed solutions discussed were focused on enhancing lighting “Their claim is that there is no data to support installing them,” Neburn said sharing that he himself was nearly involved in an accident “Of course that’s because there wasn’t any data before (no interchange) and the fact they want three years of normal data (no construction) before making any conclusions It’s a frustrating circular argument with the DOT but they have agreed to make very minor improvements in the short term.” Wis-DOT Communications Manager Dan Sellers explained that the changes were built to current standards and that they are actively working with the city to install lighting later this year and incorporate appropriate signage and additional notification measures that call the driver’s attention to the new upcoming traffic pattern “We understand that it’s a new interchange and a new traffic pattern at Highland and that it’ll take some time for people to get adjusted to it,” Sellers told the News Graphic it’s pretty standard to take some time and feedback in evaluating how it’s operating We need motorists to do their part too — to slow down and follow traffic laws” Sellers added that this location’s traffic volume does not warrant traffic signals and that WisDOT will continue to collect traffic data in the area are pleased with the changes and only request minor updates Only thing I can think of is the sort of sharp right turn shortly following the exit is a bit rough but space and design wise it’s manageable,” one wrote while another had “no problems with any of the reconstruct if drivers pay attention.” public works and Wis-DOT has been scheduled for Thursday The Highland Road Interchange isn’t the only one in the area raising concern Just a couple of miles south lies the Mequon Road Interchange which is currently undergoing construction and is expected to reopen this summer Residents have pointed out that that interchange’s northbound on ramp doesn’t have enough length of road to safely get onto the freeway if you can’t enter there is nowhere to go,” one resident posted on Facebook Wis-DOT’s Dan Sellers said that the ramps are in a temporary configuration and once construction is complete they will be extended for improved merging “The current ramp layout may appear different than what drivers are used to but the temporary conditions do meet design standards,” Sellers said “We’ll continue to monitor how it operates.” The owners of Explorium Brewpub announced their plans for three Good City taprooms about six weeks after announcing they acquired Good City Brewing and its four locations Owners Mike and Joan Doble will close the Mequon Good City taproom rebrand the Wauwatosa Good City taproom to a third Explorium Brewpub and rebrand the east side Good City taproom with a new concept: Proprietors and Table and Taps The Good City taproom in the Deer District will remain as is for now but it likely will be rebranded once the Milwaukee Bucks season is over this summer The Dobles first opened Explorium Brewpub at 5300 S in September 2020 and acquired the four Good City locations at the beginning of this year Owner Mike Doble said they decided to close the Mequon Good City taproom in the Mequon Public Market at6300 W Mequon Road because it was too far from the rest of their portfolio and the brewpub wasn't busy enough "We gave it a shot after we took over the location at the beginning of the year for some reason what we're doing there wasn't resonating with the crowd," Doble said Another factor was Smokin' Jack's BBQ wanted to take over the space "It worked out with the building owner (and) Smokin' Jacks and we have a mutual agreement with Smokin' Jacks to get the staff placed at the new spot," Doble said Good City Mequon will close at the end of February or early March The taproom has both Good City and Explorium beer have also made their way onto the new menu "We took the best of both brands and married it up there," Doble said "What people are going to see the most changed is we redecorated." He said they also changed the bar to offer more cocktail and rail options "It'll operate a little different as we try to operate as a full bar and restaurant," Doble said In April Doble is hoping to open a new concept our hobby is to travel and try new places," Doble said We have a lot of craveable favorites that we're going to use to assemble the menu." The new concept will have the Dobles' favorite Good City and Explorium beers along with a more robust cocktail and wine menu The food menu will be made of "shareable snacks at a good price point," Doble said "We think that will resonate really well with the neighborhood," Doble said Good City Brewing by Explorium on the east side will be open until late March when it will temporarily close for the rebrand The Good City taproom in the Deer District by Fiserv Forum will remain open as normal through the summer Doble said once the Bucks season is over they plan to close and completely rebrand that space He said it likely would not be an Explorium Brewpub given its proximity to the Third Ward Explorium and align with their goals for the Deer District to make it busy year round," Doble said Retiring Mequon Police Chief Patrick Pryor is pictured instructing the Citizens Police Academy MEQUON — Whether it was serving as the liaison to several committees helping the department achieve status as a Full Accredited Police Agency by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group in 2022 or playing a leading role in consolidating the city’s emergency dispatch center with Ozaukee County But if there’s something Mequon’s eighth police chief wants people to remember him for it’s that he strived each and every day to interact with the community in a positive way; that he worked to help develop a collaborative and empowering environment where everyone felt valued and equipped to make a difference He defined a good day for his roughly 50-memberstaff as "a day where the department was able to be proactive rather than reactive." the time has come for him to hang up his uniform and instill those core values into the department’s next leaders "Serving the Mequon community has been a very rewarding experience," said Pryor "The support from this community is truly exceptional the residents of Mequon stood firmly with the department demonstrating a level of trust and solidarity that has made our work so effective.” Some might say his law enforcement career began in Milwaukee in 1995 “I was raised to be,” he told the News Graphic about what led him to choose this field His mother was a nurse dedicated to helping others while his uncle patrolled the Chicago streets as a police officer Inspired by their selflessness and drawn to the dynamic nature of the work Pryor obtained a degree in criminology and law studies from Marquette University first as a patrol officer and six years later as patrol sergeant And though initially considering some advancement in his career “I found myself in the right places at the right times which naturally led to leadership opportunities,” Pryor said “I’m grateful for the chance to guide and support the department in making a positive impact.” Pryor said recalling specific stories can be a challenge but two come to mind: one early in his career when he helped reunite a lost child with their family and another involving the organization of the Citizens Police Academy which he said created stronger ties between law enforcement and the local community “These moments remind me of the impact that officers can have and they’ll stay with me as I prepare for retirement from law enforcement,” Pryor said He also appreciated the technology advancement and aspect of law enforcement His work to advance Information Technology within the department led to the establishment of a public safety IT specialist position in 2019 the installation of flock safety cameras throughout the city and the implementation of body-worn and squad-car cameras our squad cars were equipped with just a radio and lights,” he said I’ve witnessed and been part of the transition to computers printers and body cameras becoming standard equipment It’s been exciting to see and contribute to these technological advancements.” Mequon’s more than 215 miles — or almost 48 square miles — that Pryor has had to patrol has significantly grown and changed over the years have been the community spirit and commitment to safety and well-being “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served such a supportive community,” he added Pryor plans to spend more time with family and eventually find a job A map of the Mequon and Port Washington roads intersection shows the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s activities as it undertakes that segment of an ongoing project the intersection at Port Washington and Mequon roads is prohibiting motorists who are traveling northbound on Port Washington Road from turning right onto Mequon Road due to storm sewer work According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation motorists traveling northbound on Port Washington Road are encouraged to continue to the Highland Road interchange to access the Interstate 43 northbound ramps 24-hour crushing operations began Monday and will last for approximately two weeks as crews begin constructing the new I-43 southbound lanes between just north of Mequon Road and Donges Bay Road These improvements are part of the Mequon Road interchange segment one of the remaining pieces left to finish in WisDot’s entire 14mile north-south reconstruction project that is expected to wrap later this year one of the remaining pieces left to finish in WisDot’s entire 14-mile MEQUON — A two-month long selection process that included gathering community feedback as well as conducting several interviews culminated on Thursday when the city of Mequon Board of Police Commissioners unanimously appointed Mequon Police Capt Mark Riley as the city’s next police chief "It is heartening to see the selection process completed with the appointment of an experienced internal candidate," according to a statement from Mayor Andrew Nerbun Riley’s dedication and leadership qualities will allow him to excel as our next police chief." having served 13 years as a police officer six years as a sergeant and an additional six years as one of the department’s two captains Riley will oversee the administration and enhancement of the city’s policing services manage public safety initiatives and offer guidance to the Common Council and the city’s senior management team city staff will collaborate closely with Chief Pryor and the rest of the department’s command staff to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities," City Administrator William Jones said about the transition "Pending the completion of all pre-appointment screening procedures Riley will be formally sworn in over the next few weeks Assistant City Administrator Justin Schoenemann noted that the city does not know who will fill the captain’s position once Riley assumes his new role but believes the hiring process will begin within the next month