But that hasn’t stopped area youths from engaging in a game that has prompted a few calls to Mukwonago police in the past couple of weeks Mukwonago Police Chief Daniel Streit said this week his department has fielded at least three calls during the past couple of weeks related to the game called "paranoia," also known as "senior assassin," or simply "assassin." In one of the incidents two young men were reported to be nude as they exited a car are randomly assigned a "target" to spray with a squirt gun who they are to track down while others target them with their targets then falling to the person who sprayed them The game has led to calls to police in several areas for things like traffic problems trespassing and even public nudity over the past several years there have been reports of people in the buff in public in an attempt to keep playing SIGN UP Streit said the department has received three calls in the past week to 10 days about problems likely related to the game but one of them came from a man who said he was out walking his young daughter when he saw two young men emerge nude from a car in an attempt to keep their clothes from getting wet Streit said the youths were gone by the time officers arrived on the scene in the Two Rivers subdivision He said police wanted to advise the public to be aware of the game so that people "don’t call it in as suspicious when they see a bunch of kids running around the park in swimsuits when it’s 40 degrees." But he said police also are concerned about law violations and things like traffic matters The public is advised if they see something Streit admitted the game seemed like it could be fun and he might have been tempted to participate when he was a child But that doesn’t mean he’s giving a blessing to people running around in their birthday suits or causing other problems in traffic or on private property as they evade or hide to await their targets "Do it legally and keep your clothes on," Streit said 10 things to know this week from the WOW counties (Waukesha Ozaukee and Washington) sent on Sundays Get the latest Waukesha County news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates Have Waukesha County breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen At 12:54 p.m. on Wednesday, a vehicle was stopped at Michigan Avenue and Grandview Boulevard for a stop sign violation. The driver a… Read moreWaukesha police blotter: April 30-May 1, 20225 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: — A Mukwonago family is still out regularly searching for their missing son Isaiah Cramer was 16 years old when he left a mental health treatment facility and has not been seen since "There are still areas that need to be covered,” said Vance Cramer when he talks about the search for his missing son Vance spends most of his time looking for Isaiah You feel the absence of him everywhere we go,” said Vance Isaiah was at the Norris Residential Facility The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office spotted him on a trail camera near the intersection of Maple Avenue and Center Drive in Vernon His headphones were found in a nearby field and Isaiah's two siblings are always out looking to bring him home Watch: Keeping Hope Alive: Mukwonago dad won't stop searching for missing son “Just out looking and searching and going through all the details That's the biggest question right now: What direction did he go?” asked Vance The sheriff's department and family have conducted multiple searches throughout the year Vance recently hired a drone operator to fly the fields and search again this winter This past week the Center for Missing and Exploited Children put out a new flyer across the country for Isaiah It has led to new tips and calls with some claiming to be Isaiah the day the sheriff's office told you that someone was calling "It was obviously not him,” answered Vance He says it sends the family through both hope and heartbreak in a matter of seconds I don’t want to find him in a swamp or woods or whatever in Vernon Any hope that he is still alive is still hope,” said Vance If you have any information about Isaiah or have seen him call the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office at 262-446-5070 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 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 Mukwonago parent claimed partial victory after an agreement filed with the Waukesha County Circuit Court dismissed the lawsuit a Kenosha reporter and he brought against the Mukwonago Area School District over the release of records pertaining to a teacher accused of inappropriate actions involving students The settlement was detailed in an April 18, 2025 piece authored by Brian Huber in the Waukesha Freeman who works for the online Kenosha County Eye asking a judge to order the district to release the records they requested The men brought the suit after they unsuccessfully sought records related to a teacher who was placed on administrative leave then resigned after being accused of “grooming” Sallee’s daughter and making comments regarding another student Two weeks after a hearing regarding the case in March the sides filed an agreement and the case was dismissed Sallee added he is still awaiting information in the case such as records related to how much the district spent on attorneys related to the case Sallee praised the state transparency law.  “If school administrators do not want to be transparent with that,” Sallee is quoted as saying in part “then the Wisconsin Open Records Law is very strong to help get that information.” WAUKESHA — A Mukwonago man has been charged after a disturbance early Wednesday led to police discovering extensive damage to his apartment estimated to cost about $10,000 to repair was charged Thursday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with a felony count of criminal damage to property and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct He was ordered to maintain absolute sobriety and is to appear in court again May 28 A criminal complaint said police were called to the 1000 block of Eastern Trail at about 1:34 a.m Wednesday on a report of a man running in and out of his apartment building wearing nothing but shorts and a football helmet running into interior walls of the building throwing objects at the walls and ceiling and shouting obscenities causing a commotion that prompted people in a neighboring building to gather outside to see what was occurring A resident identified Dahlstrom as the suspect and said the ruckus had been occurring for at least an hour An officer saw multiple utensils lying on the ground outside Dahlstrom’s apartment door and noticed a ceiling tile had been damaged Dahlstrom told police nothing was going on but admitted drinking heavily prior to the incident after having lost his job A police officer observed the apartment was in disarray and noted extensive damage to kitchen cabinets and doors throughout the apartment Connor Dahlstrom Residents in a Mukwonago neighborhood woke up to flyers strewn across their sidewalks and driveways Saturday morning — flyers with white supremacist messaging One neighbor called TMJ4 early on Sunday hoping the incident wouldn’t go unchecked I walked the neighborhood asking for more information and to hear reactions from residents I would not expect something like this to happen in a neighborhood like this." Barry’s lived in the area for about four years — a quiet It's kind of the reason we moved here,” said Mickey Barry “There are kids running around everywhere." He told me at least a dozen houses were hit "I saw them sitting there and thought what a bunch of idiots." The flyers encouraged people to join the Aryan Freedom Network Other imagery showcased the Nazi SS symbol Similar flyers were found Thursday on Milwaukee's south side falsely claiming mass deportation was coming PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'It's very disheartening': Neighbors discover hateful messages across Milwaukee's southside, MPD investigates Both sets of papers were found in a sandwich bag with what looked like beans or wood pellets "It looks like they're just trying to weigh down the bag,” Barry guessed The Milwaukee Fire Department's Hazmat Team tested the material inside the south side notes and determined it was not dangerous WATCH: ‘It’s disgusting’: Mukwonago residents find Neo-nazi flyers in their neighborhood I reached out to Mukwonago police to see if the department has tested the substances from the most recent incident Barry said he saved his flyers for future evidence but many others were already thrown out by the neighborhood kids "They're disgusted by it just as much [as we are]," he noted we're proud of them for that but they don't need to be dealing with this." Mukwonago police have been notified of the incident and are currently investigating not found any evidence of targeted households Police are asking people to report any suspicious activity by calling the department — (262) 363-6435 A letter written by MASD Superintendent Dr college & career readiness coordinator for MASD addresses a rumor that a Mukwonago High School automotive teacher's job was in jeopardy MUKWONAGO — A Mukwonago High School automotive teacher penned a letter telling the community his job was on the line due to low enrollment numbers Ken Reed’s letter addressed to 'automotive partners' was circulated on social media on Friday in which it cautioned against the program going away The Mukwonago Area School District sent out a letter in response indicating that the program is not in jeopardy of being eliminated 'I was informed that the district has chosen to reduce staff according to low enrollment numbers as a result they are asking the school board to non-renew my position as automotive instructor with the district,' Reed’s letter said Ken Reed’s letter addressed to "automotive partners" was circulated on social media on Friday in which it cautioned against the program going away "I was informed that the district has chosen to reduce staff according to low enrollment numbers as a result they are asking the school board to non-renew my position as automotive instructor with the district," Reed’s letter said Reed said over the last five years they have been turning away students I was consistently teaching an overload of classes," the letter said Reed has worked as an auto technician for 20 years and is Automotive Service Excellence master certified and teaches an ASE credentialed program "We qualify for ACT 59 and Perkins grant money Our program receives donations which benefit our students My students graduate with student-level ASE certifications," the letter said "I do not want to see the district diminish the value of a much-needed program I would hate to see the program turn into a hobby shop and just ramble along," the letter said The letter encouraged the community to show up to the school board meeting on April 14 "I was told the school board would be voting in private session to decide whether or not to renew my position Chances are that the Wisconsin Auto and Truck Dealers Association will represent along with the Auto Dealers Association of Metro Milwaukee," the letter said The Freeman contacted Reed who said he is not allowed to discuss his letter on Friday a letter was sent out from Dustin Lehman college & career readiness coordinator The letter addressed business and education partners and Mukwonago families "The Mukwonago Area School District remains fully committed to maintaining and growing our automotive program," the district’s letter said The letter acknowledged a letter that caused confusion on the future of the automotive program in the district "We understand that a letter was recently circulated suggesting that the district is eliminating this program There are no plans to discontinue or reduce our automotive program we continue to invest in our career and technical education pathways to ensure they meet the evolving needs of students and industry partners We have qualified staff who are eager to work with our students," the letter said On Monday afternoon Koch sent The Freeman a response "The Mukwonago Area School District is not cutting any programs We have an excellent Career and Technical Education program in our district and we will continue to meet the needs of our students and our community through our offerings," Koch said Voters in Waukesha County decided Tuesday night on two large referendums aimed at funding significant upgrades to local schools Mukwonago Area School District Referendum Approved Voters in the Mukwonago Area School District approved an $89.1 million project for a mix of new construction and renovation of Park View Middle School Watch: Voters split on referendums in Waukesha County The approval means that Park View will undergo a major renovation with construction slated to begin in late 2025/early 2026 and the new school is expected to open for the 2027-2028 school year according to the district’s superintendent With just over 20,000 votes cast in the race the referendum will address aging infrastructure The new middle school will also serve 6th-8th grade students 6th graders attend school in the elementary school building a Mukwonago parent with two children in the district was among those who voted “yes” to the referendum Hughes moved to Mukwonago specifically for the quality of its schools and sees the $89 million investment as essential for the district's continued growth and success but I know eventually she’ll be in Park View,” Hughes said “If we don’t keep our schools healthy and vibrant local property owners can expect an increase in their taxes of $24 annually for every $100,000 of property value Donna Schwerdtfeger lives in the village of Vernon and voted against the referendum “I felt it was a lot of money,” Schwerdtfeger said “I wish they would have broken it down into smaller more manageable amounts instead of asking for such a large sum.” This isn’t the first time the district went up for referendum voters turned down a $102 million referendum that would’ve replaced the middle school entirely Arrowhead High School Facilities Referendum Split Decision Voters in the Arrowhead Union High School District split on two referendum questions narrowly approving a $1.9 million yearly operational referendum and rejecting a proposed $261.2 million facilities referendum The first was an operations referendum to pay for things like utilities and special education which passed with 50.8% of the vote.The school will receive $1.9 million every year for four years AHS operates two separate buildings: the North and South campuses which asked voters to approve $261.2 million to build a new high school Many in the district expressed concerns over the project's steep price tag I think they have such a nice school already I just think costing the citizens of Hartland that much money is not good right now,” Trenten Miner a Hartland resident and Arrowhead graduate "I couldn’t afford it," said one Hartland resident who voted against the referendum believing it was necessary to meet the growing needs of the district’s student population The approved $1.9 million measure will cost property owners roughly $2 annually for every $100,000 of property value TMJ4 reached out to AHS for comment on what's next for the district but did not immediately hear back MUKWONAGO — Incumbent Mukwonago Village Board President Fred Winchowky is hoping to retain his seat against Village Trustee Darlene Johnson in the spring election The Freeman asked the candidates questions ahead of the April election The FREEMAN: Why are you running for this position Johnson: I decided to run for Mukwonago village president after meeting with village residents who want a change in leadership My priorities are to listen to constituents’ needs gain their trust to have faith in our board again and oversight of village matters the village should provide essential needs of public safety and road maintenance I would strive to make our village a "drive to" versus a "drive through" destination by attracting some high-profile restaurant ventures to add to our current winning businesses Winchowky: Running for reelection is my way of giving back to the community that has been my home for 52 years It takes precious time and dedication to serve on this board I would like to continue to help to provide ideas and suggest possible solutions to problems that arise Priorities if reelected: I will continue to work to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone I will work to continue our small town feel which is so important I will pursue new and sustainable growth to help offset inflation I believe you need to grow your community to survive FREEMAN: What is your approach to handling controversial and complicated issues Johnson: At a recent Village Board meeting there was an ordinance to clarify existing language to limit the number of dogs kept to three the Mukwonago Police realized the current language was vague needing to be updated in the Village Code with exceptions for newborn litters or dog sitting Despite constituents giving their valid reasons for limitless amounts of dogs in their homes a decision was made to update the language to what was originally intended I wholeheartedly voted to support this decision and ordinance Then you need to hear what they are saying Try to identify just what is the cause of the controversy gather the best information you can and make an informed decision based on that information FREEMAN: How would you deal with the need to improve/grow the area (developments etc.) with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden there needs to be a balance of healthy growth to have our community thrive I cannot change some developments that have already been determined The State of Wisconsin formula of net new construction is calculated on all taxable property in a municipality including TIDS and this allows increases to the tax levy limit I do not agree with new tax incremental districts We want to be responsive to developers or businesses interested in investing in Mukwonago but I want to maintain the small-town charm that village residents expect Winchowky: I believe sustainable growth is important to any successful community Growth provides various types of small businesses that provide services Beautification programs can be helped by using local service clubs Our community has been successful with this The financial burden isn’t totally carried by the taxpayer The community invests in itself in this way This does add to a quality of life that everyone can enjoy FREEMAN: Funding and budgets are ongoing issues I monitor costs and stay within the household budget our Village Board must remember to monitor our budget and trust our department heads to spend within village means We must always keep options of funding grants such as Utilities for PFAS remediation and water tower repainting Winchowky: When we are elected into office we inherit whatever funding programs and budgets are already in place State spending restraints are also in place restricting what can be done So now we are responsible for reviewing and assessing these programs We need to make sure the monies collected are used properly People deserve to get the best value of service for their money Our job is to make sure they get that value for their tax dollars We need to respond in a respectful and professional manner FREEMAN: Do you think your Main Street downtown is healthy and successful Johnson: In my 16 years as Village Board trustee I’ve witnessed positive steps to better our downtown Mukwonago Our Downtown Development Committee collaborates with the Village Board to beautify sidewalks of Main Street and works with businesses to enhance their outside appearances the village is aware that there are under pavement deficiencies in our water system because of aging infrastructure We can anticipate these issues to be resolved when the State of Wisconsin begins reconstruction of Highway 83 in the downtown district within the next several years Several destination businesses continue to be the core of activity This draws people downtown and they find other small businesses of interest and they work together to help make everyone just a little bit better The Village Board needs to continue to work closely with our chamber of commerce to support these small businesses and help maintain a strong and vibrant small business community 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 Occupation: Housewife and dual elected official Previously elected office: Current Village of Mukwonago Trustee and Waukesha County Supervisor (both are part-time positions) Previous elected office: 14 years as Village President MUKWONAGO — The Mukwonago Area School District is facing a $1.4 million deficit for 2025-2026 During the Committee of the Whole meeting for the school board presented a staffing and courses report that showed the district is projecting a 199-student decline for the 2025-2026 school year the implication for the 2025-2026 school year is a projected $1.4 million deficit when we are facing a deficit of that magnitude We’re beyond cutting the low-hanging fruit We have to look at how do we continue to be effective while being efficient," she said Hermann explained when they look at the total certified and professional staff in the district in 2017-2018 school year Even though the district decreased the number of students between 2024 and 2025 the district increased certified staff to 409 The positions included Student Services staff "There’s not a person that’s going to argue that when those positions were added There’s not anybody that’s going to argue that when you look at this list of positions these people are not of value to the system These are all people who come to work every day doing the jobs that they were hired to do with the best of intent," Hermann said Hermann said the district has to look at people and programs And how do we look at doing things differently I’m looking at what is the position and what is the position support in our program,” she said Looking at staffing in the midst of a deficit which is aiming to provide the highest quality educational experience for students “We want students in the classes that they want to be in That is what will promote the highest level of engagement for those students and then we want to maximize the impact of our employees we want teachers teaching in the content areas that they’re certified to teach I don’t want a teacher who is certified in math to pick up 50% of their day doing a study hall Hermann said they did an analysis of elementary school student enrollment trends they evaluated data from the past four years to determine existing trends around staffing sectioning They examined courses that ran below 75% capacity or fewer than 15 students and took into consideration courses that for the last four years have had declining or low enrollment (as defined by running below 75% capacity for the past four years) High school administration met with department chairs in February to share the themes uncovered in the research High school courses with declining enrollment over the past four years include: computer science advanced placement government and politics machine tool II and project lead the way principles of engineering 33% of sections were running at 75% capacity or below “That is fiscally irresponsible when we are facing a budget deficit while we want again students in courses that they want to be in we want to run an academically rigorous environment We can do that work and still not run classes 33% of them at 75% or below,” she said “We have some of the best teachers I have ever seen passionately working their butts off again to prepare every student to be (in) college if they’re ready and we're going to continue to monitor our enrollment,” she said She added there is nothing black and white about this dance of scheduling and staffing “The goal is to be a student-centered organization we have every intention of still being a high-achieving district The next step is to work with department leaders to prepare curriculum instruction for the upcoming school year After 28 years as police chief in the Town of Mukwonago was sworn in on Friday as the new police chief TOWN OF MUKWONAGO — After 28 years as police chief in the Town of Mukwonago Tom Czarnecki has retired from the position who ran an explorer program through the Boy Scouts of America Czarnecki’s cousin was invited to attend and he asked if he could go along Through the program he was given an exposure to law enforcement thanks to Paczocha "He encouraged me as time went on to pursue the career and helped me figure out the right path to go down in law enforcement He was extremely instrumental as an early on mentor in law enforcement and without him I don’t think I would be where I am today," Czarnecki said Czarnecki got his start in the Washington County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy and it was for an undercover narcotics position It was pretty exciting for a young guy," he said The sheriff’s department had a training program where he trained with the Waukesha County Metro Drug Unit for several weeks "After that they sent me out in Washington County we had a joint drug operation with Ozaukee County I spent a long time in Washington and Ozaukee County trying to buy drugs," Czarnecki said He added not many people can say their first day in law enforcement was going to a bar and for 40 hours a week they attempt to buy drugs "It was quite a wild opportunity that I never thought about in law enforcement Back in those days there were 400-500 people applying for every law enforcement position said a long-term relationship resulting from him working undercover in narcotics wouldn’t work for her She was living in East Troy at the time; East Troy is where I grew up It worked out well for me that a guy from church that said there was a job in Mukwonago," he said Czarnecki was offered a part-time position as a police officer in 1997 and then offered a full-time position When then-Police Chief Tony Kemnitz decided to retire I’m so glad I took advantage of the opportunity You bear a lot of the weight of everybody when they are out there on the road you are a part of because you manage the department," he said Czarnecki said he has been blessed with a great police force "When you have great staff and they are doing good in the community you get a lot of accolades from folks regarding the relationship within the community It’s been great being a part of all their successes as they move through their careers," he said Czarnecki and some friends including Brian Dorow decided to start a security company Secure Resources Unlimited has done so well over the past few years that it is demanding more of his attention A sign for the Mukwonago Animal Hospital sits at the entrance to the facility on Highway 83 on Wednesday where a sign in the background advertises lands available Whatever goes on those lands may have to share an access point with the veterinary hospital which sounded an alarm about the matter on social media this week expressing fears that the access to the business may be compromised or even eliminated The Mukwonago Village Board has tabled for now a discussion over the preferred access options from Highway 83 while the vet clinic and the developer of the neighboring parcel continue to try to work things out MUKWONAGO — A local veterinary clinic is concerned that it will be the one who ends up being bitten as a proposed development on a neighboring parcel threatens the community’s access to it The Mukwonago Animal Hospital took to Facebook this week sounding an alarm related to a development in neighboring Kiwanis Park near highways 83 and NN 'Due to new development in the Kiwanis Park lot access to Mukwonago Animal Hospital may soon be restricted or even closed This would make it harder for you to reach us and could severely impact our ability to care for your pets,' the business said on its Facebook page 'We’ve tried to negotiate with the developers but we’re the only ones being asked to sacrifice and less access for YOU — our loyal clients.' Neither the Mukwonago Animal Hospital nor Ray Goodden of Anderson Consulting replied to repeated requests for comment this week The business asked people to turn out to the Mukwonago Village Board meeting on Wednesday where the matter was tabled to allow the parties time to work out a resolution said nothing concrete has been proposed for the site but the Kiwanis Park site was rezoned to allow for commercial use in 2023 Dykstra said the proposal pitched so far is 'like a culde- sac of business suites' which could accommodate things like a dentist office or day care although no specifics on that front have been offered is regarding access to the neighboring parcels has said a traffic impact analysis is needed and that the state would consider one right-in it would have to be 'created at a location acceptable to WisDOT A move of the median opening on WIS 83 may be required as a result,' according to a letter from the DOT’s Traffic Operations Engineer Art Baumann the village drew up some maps to explain what access point options would be available and amenable to the DOT the Village Board was to discuss the matter on Wednesday but it was tabled at the request of the parties while they work on hammering out an agreement 'It is in the best interest of that region for everybody,' Dykstra said 'No one is going to get everything they want but we are very hopeful they can work together and find a positive solution for that region the Mukwonago Animal Hospital thanked all the people who lent their support 'The developers are working with us in good faith and the Village has agreed to table the issue for now so we can explore solutions that work for everyone — especially our clients and their pets,' the Mukwonago Animal Hospital said Dykstra added the Mukwonago Animal Hospital has been a great community leader and the Kiwanis Club has been a huge part of the community even if it is no longer able to support the park named for it the village will be entertaining ideas from other developers She said things have 'kind of blew up a little bit' on social media the elected officials did not ask for this They are not deserving of negative comments They are really here to try to make the best decision they can for the community they love,' she said 'They were only asked to intervene two weeks ago and at that meeting they asked the property owners to appear before them (Wednesday They are trying to do their due diligence and unfortunately they have been attacked over the past 24 hours Dykstra said regardless of what options the village preferred for access points to the sites But 'there will still be access' to the veterinarian "Due to new development in the Kiwanis Park lot This would make it harder for you to reach us and could severely impact our ability to care for your pets," the business said on its Facebook page "We’ve tried to negotiate with the developers and less access for YOU — our loyal clients." Dykstra said the proposal pitched so far is "like a cul-de-sac of business suites" which could accommodate things like a dentist office or day care it would have to be "created at a location acceptable to WisDOT A move of the median opening on WIS 83 may be required as a result," according to a letter from the DOT’s Traffic Operations Engineer Art Baumann "It is in the best interest of that region for everybody," Dykstra said "No one is going to get everything they want but we are very hopeful they can work together and find a positive solution for that region "The developers are working with us in good faith and the Village has agreed to table the issue for now so we can explore solutions that work for everyone — especially our clients and their pets," the Mukwonago Animal Hospital said She said things have "kind of blew up a little bit" on social media They are really here to try to make the best decision they can for the community they love," she said "They were only asked to intervene two weeks ago and at that meeting they asked the property owners to appear before them (Wednesday But "there will still be access" to the veterinarian WAUKESHA — A Mukwonago parent and a Kenosha reporter are suing the Mukwonago Area School District alleging it violated the state Open Records law in failing to release documents related to a former MASD teacher now working in Kenosha The Freeman is not naming the teacher because he has neither been charged with a crime nor found by the MASD to have committed any wrongdoing in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Monday asking a judge to compel the district to release the records they requested A message left with Koch on Tuesday was not immediately returned The men brought the suit after they sought records related to a teacher who was placed on administrative leave then resigned after being accused of "grooming" Sallee’s daughter and making comments regarding another student — records they say the district failed to provide "This is a case about a school district that has made an illegal attempt to conceal information relating to allegations of sexual harassment and grooming by a former Mukwonago Area School District teacher Joseph Koch and the Mukwonago Area School District violated the Wisconsin Public Records statute to conceal such alleged despicable behavior," the suit said said he’s been using TikTok to tell the story of how the teacher winked at his daughter stared at her for extended periods of time touched her hair and shoulder and gave her unwanted attention According to a letter of reprimand the district sent the teacher last March a second student reported the teacher made a comment to her about her shirt being too tight The teacher admitted winking at students "to create bewilderment and draw out a smile," that has patted students on a shoulder or head previously and gave the girl extra attention to "help bring her out of her shell as she was new to the district." The March 22 letter told the teacher to review policies on staff ethics and student supervision and to be professional and avoid winking at students as it may be misconstrued the teacher was placed on administrative leave for alleged failure to follow the administration’s directives regarding contact with the student with the district agreeing to "remove from the Employee’s personnel file all documents referencing any disciplinary action issued to Employee by the District." Sallee said he filed open records requests on April 3 and May 15 requesting documents related to two investigations into the alleged misconduct and grooming by the teacher Koch responded with a 28page document and letter on April 11 were documents relating to the investigations into the teacher’s alleged grooming." A June response showed nothing about the investigations It added the district intentionally withheld the March letter of reprimand Mathewson learned the teacher had been hired at the Kenosha Unified School District and also made records requests for any disciplinary or investigative documents related to the teacher and his administrative leave A 107page reply in September contained no letter of leave or reprimand the suit said; those documents were delivered late last month the assertion made by Koch and MASD that only a two-page letter of reprimand and a one-page leave letter are the extent of the ‘investigative; documents requested" by the men "MASD’s assertion that everything else aren’t ‘Records’ is absurd and contradicted by (a preceding appeals case)." reported the teacher had been hired by the Kenosha district but two days after school started was placed on administrative leave after a Tik-Toker The website reported the district investigated things there was no evidence to suggest wrongdoing that would prevent the district from keeping the staff member employed," although the teacher had been moved to eSchool Sallee also shared with media a letter he got from attorney Christopher Kloth and demanded that Sallee remove any posts about the teacher from all his social media platforms Kloth said in the letter this was the first time anyone complained about the teacher and the teacher resigned not out of guilt but because he felt the MASD did not handle the complaint properly and that he felt "terrible that any student of his was uncomfortable in his classroom." Even after being told by the MASD that the teacher did not engage in any immoral conduct Sallee continued to make defamatory videos Kloth said in demanding that Sallee cease and desist from making further defamatory statements and to contact the Kenosha district to apologize for interfering with a contractual relationship and to retract his allegations MASD will make improvements to Park View Middle School creating 210,000 square feet of new construction and renovating 32,400 square feet of space 87% of the facility would be new construction MUKWONAGO — Voters in the Mukwonago Area School District passed an $89.1 million referendum aimed at funding an addition and renovations to the Park View Middle School building and other capital maintenance needs in the district The Park View Middle School improvements will involve the section of the building constructed in 1993 A districtwide facility study and space and programs needs analysis determined that the middle school presents the most pressing issues “Although Park View has served as a middle or junior high school for 50 years it was originally built as a high school in 1956 and has had minimal updates since,” the MASD website noted “We don’t have the instructional spaces that we need and the building is only designed to hold seventh-and eighth-grade students right now that would allow our sixth-graders to access a more robust educational experience,” MASD Superintendent Joe Koch told The Freeman “The urgency behind it is getting the right school in place to serve our students now and then in the years to come.” The proposed project will have the capacity to serve up to 1,200 students in sixth through eighth grade and also create more space at the elementary level as a result the renovation and new construction would involve classrooms and labs for technical education and hands-on learning; flexible spaces for student performances and collaboration/project-based learning; a three-court gym and fitness area for both student and community use; proper pedestrian and vehicle separation with additional parking; energy-efficient systems and natural lighting; and an updated track and practice fields Sixth-graders will receive expanded opportunities if the referendum is approved with more academic exposure to world language and band and orchestra extra-curricular and athletic opportunities Each of the MASD elementary schools’ former sixth grade classrooms would be repurposed for needs like special education Among the facility’s existing challenges are plumbing and electrical that have exceeded their life span; roof sections in need of replacement; inefficient windows; exterior brick requiring maintenance; inefficient building layout with narrow and congested hallways; unsafe and congested student pick-up/drop-off; aging small classrooms inhibiting collaboration; kitchen and cafeteria constraints; areas that need to be brought into Americans with Disabilities Act compliance; lack of gym space for physical education and community programming; and difficult-to-access choir and band areas that lack proper acoustics and are too small to meet current enrollment The district plans to break ground in late winter or early spring 2026 with the building opening to start the 2027-2028 school year See all of our fall election results here a Mukwonago School Board member and co-owner of Semper Fi Roofing & Exteriors Schwartz was on the school board for four years and was a veteran of the Marine Corps according to a statement by from the Mukwonago Area School District Others who shared the board with Schwartz said he always stood for what was right "There were situations where kids weren’t involved and he would fight for those kids to be involved "Vito was a vocal supporter of our district," MASD Superintendent Dr We have a strong community and will work through the loss of Vito together." TMJ4 spoke to Schwartz's family Saturday who said they are overcome with grief adding that he was an honorable man who loved his family more than anything "It's so hard to communicate his heart because it was so big He's family when it comes to community," Conner said Schwartz was active in the community as a co-owner of Semper Fi Roofing & Exteriors Watch: Mukwonago school board member and business owner Vito Schwartz died Friday: TMJ4 reached out to Mukwonago police for more information about Schwartz's death and was told there was an investigation authorities have not officially linked Schwartz's death with the information provided in the release officers were sent to a home on County Highway E near County Highway EE for a report of two deceased people they found two 45-year-olds with fatal gunshot wounds from a small caliber gun The circumstances behind the deaths have not been released Police say there was no indication the home was broken into and they are not looking for suspects The investigation is ongoing and police have not released the names of the deceased MUKWONAGO — Incumbents Craig Vertz and Jason Bennett won their reelection bids for seats representing the West Region on the Mukwonago Area School Board against challengers Aaron Hackett and Chris Nowak Vertz received 7,325 votes or 35.2% of the total Bennett received 5,808 votes or 27.9% of votes Nowak received 4,258 votes or 20.4% of votes and Hackett received 3,310 votes or 15.9% of votes There were 127 write-in votes or 0.6% of votes See all of our spring general election results here MUKWONAGO, Wis. — Mukwonago police are investigating two gunshot deaths on the city’s north side While police would not confirm to our partners at TMJ4 the names of those who died, the Mukwonago Area School District released a statement regarding the death of Mukwonago school board member Vito Schwartz with similar circumstances Schwartz was the owner of SemperFi Roofing & Exteriors and father to four students who are alumni of or currently enrolled at Mukwonago schools SemperFi Roofing & Exteriors is a partner of Good Karma Brands Officers found a 45-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man dead from gunshot wounds from a small caliber gun at a home near County Highway E and County Highway EE and police confirm they are not currently not looking for suspects MILWAUKEE --  Nehring's Sendik's grocery store on Downer Ave has temporarily closed after the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) found mouse and rat.. is voluntarily recalling its "on the vine" tomatoes over concerns of potential salmonella contamination... MILWAUKEE -- On the Monday before Mother's Day the Daisie Foundation is bringing its signature "Random acts of Kindness" event.. — The Mukwonago Village Committee of the Whole voted to shut down an ordinance indefinitely that would have allowed police to ticket students for using cell phones during school hours Many parents voiced strong opposition to the proposal Wednesday night RELATED LINKS:-Read our previous coverage of this story Watch our previous coverage of this story: When it came to a legal matter where they could issue citations He felt the issue encouraged parents to pay more attention to local board decisions “This is an issue that made parents speak up and pay attention to what these boards are voting on and I think that’s a positive that comes out of this,” Sallee said The proposal followed a new policy this year by the Mukwonago Area School District banning cell phones on school property Students can bring them but can't use the devices during the school day Watch: Mukwonago community relieved after board shuts down cell phone ordinance District Superintendent Joe Koch told the board at an earlier meeting that since the ban was implemented the district has had a hard time enforcing it The ordinance would have allowed court penalties for those who repeatedly violate the district's proposed cell phone policy during the school day and on school grounds Mukwonago High School seniors Hayley Maroszek and Lauren McGlothlen think the policy has been good but that an ordinance might take things too far but I also feel like it is a pretty far step I understand that they would be breaking a school rule but I just think it’s a lot further than people think," McGlothlen added District Superintendent Joe Koch was not at the meeting A request for comment was not immediately answered MUKWONAGO — The two people found dead Friday in a Town of Mukwonago home were identified Tuesday by Police Chief Thomas Czarnecki as Mukwonago School Board member Vito Schwartz and Michelle Lynn Brown Town of Mukwonago Police announced that two people were found dead inside a home on County Road E near County Road EE before 4 p.m Both had gunshot wounds from a small-caliber gun There were no signs of forced entry and police were not searching for any suspects The Waukesha County Medical Examiner has now completed the autopsies for both individuals "Preliminary findings show that the manner/cause of death for the male (Vito Blasco Schwartz) involved in the above listed incident as homicide due to a gunshot wound Preliminary findings for the manner of death for the female (Michelle Lynn Brown) involved in the incident above is suicide with the cause of death being a single gunshot wound," Czarnecki said Both were living at the residence on County Truck Highway E at the time of the incident SIGN UP Vito’s ex-wife Sarah Schwartz told The Freeman that their family is glad that the truth has been released "This is a very difficult time for our family and friends Vito was a great man and we all miss him terribly My children and I appreciate all of the love and support we are receiving from everyone," Schwartz said MASD Superintendent Joe Koch previously released a statement: "Vito served on our school board for nearly four years all of whom are MHS graduates or current students Vito was active in the community as the co-owner of Semper Fi Roofing and a proud veteran of the Marine Corps We have a strong community and will work through the loss of Vito together," Koch said Mukwonago School Board member Crosby Bugenhagen previously said this has been a difficult time for the community and for Bugenhagen personally I am shocked and saddened to hear of Vito’s sudden and unexpected passing I feel like the following does not do Vito justice because how does one summarize the life of another in just a few sentences He was a passionate member of our school board especially the students in the Mukwonago school district Vito was not afraid to take a stand and fight for what he believed in that passion and our mutual love of debate led to some very heated discussions but we always ended our discussions with friendly laughter and a ‘good talk.’ His ability to listen to others and agree to disagree was unmatched My thoughts and prayers are with his family Vito was a beloved member of our community His legacy will live on through his children and the people whose lives he touched," Bugenhagen said Get the latest Oconomowoc and Lake Country news delivered each week Have Lake Country breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen WEST ALLIS — In level four of the playoffs it was a Classic Eight Conference rematch against Muskego and Mukwonago Mukwonago took the victory back in September Watch: Muskego holds on to win 16-14 against Mukwonago Even though Mukwonago took the opening kickoff back to the house Muskego's two touchdowns and a field goal led them to the win over Mukwonago Muskego is headed to Madison to play for the state championship MUKWONAGO — While there’s little snow to plow in southeast Wisconsin a team of local snowplow drivers has been battling a historic blizzard more than 500 miles away in Kansas City an All Seasons Facility Maintenance driver in Mukwonago has been working nearly 24 hours to clear roads “I’m kind of the only one out here,” he said in a video taken during his shift Kansas City was hit by a storm that produced one of the largest single-day snowfalls in the city’s history with some areas receiving nearly a foot of snow over the past two days Watch: Mukwonago snowplow team helps clear blizzard in Kansas City It’s been never-ending snowfall and now a ton to remove,” Zervopoulos said “I never thought I’d be in Kansas moving snow like in Wisconsin.” He shared photos and videos of the storm’s aftermath and they left by one in the morning and convoyed down to Kansas City,” Ferrari said Ferrari receives updates from their parent company about sites that need plowing and then routes her crews to where they’re most needed Ferrari said sending the team was an easy decision It’s great to make money because that’s what we’re in business for it’s nice to show that we know what we’re doing,” Ferrari said with a smile “They took the time to help and want to make sure everyone’s safe.” Ferrari is hopeful the team will return by Wednesday so they can be ready for any snow Wisconsin might see we might as well go to it,” she said with a laugh VILLAGE OF MUKWONAGO — Mukwonago Village Trustees Kenneth Johnson and Scott Reeves outpaced challenger Joseph Risse in a tight race Tuesday and will retain their seats on the village board Reeves received 1,501 votes or 33.9% of the votes and Johnson received 1,498 votes or 33.8% of the votes Risse received 1,393 votes or 31.4% of the votes There were 40 write-in votes or 0.9% of the votes MUKWONAGO — Parents and students have mixed reactions to an updated cellphone ban in the Mukwonago Area School District the Mukwonago Area School District Board of Education approved a new policy prohibiting students from using personal communication devices during the school day or at school-sponsored events “We had phone caddies that they would go in during classroom time but now you can’t have it at all,” Mukwonago High School senior Kaylee Lyons said Lyons took it upon herself to create an online petition after hearing from other students and parents the petition voices opposition to the rule but I think it’s okay for our phones to be on us during non-classroom hours,” Lyons said Watch: Students and parents have mixed reactions over Mukwonago school phone policy students must turn their cellphones off and keep them out of sight while in the building including at lunch or during passing periods the devices are prohibited to “avoid disruption of the educational environment and protect students’ right of privacy.” Mukwonago Superintendent Joe Koch told TMJ4 News the policy was implemented to protect the learning environment we’re hearing from staff that kids are more engaged with each other in the hallway and talking to each other more,” Koch said Some parents said the rule helps their kids be social and focused I can’t imagine them in the classroom,” said Lisa Clausing said it has been harder to get in touch with her daughter this past week Koch said students who violate the policy will get warnings before having their cellphone confiscated and held until a parent picks up the device at school Lyons said she understands the reasoning but wants to see the rule changed to allow for cellphone use during non-classroom hours “I think a majority of students are good students and are not on them during class I made the petition more or less thinking about the security and safety of students,” Lyons said Top row (left to right): Jason Bennett (i) and Aaron Hackett Bottom row (left to right): Chris Nowak and Craig Vertz (i) Previous elected office (if any): MASD School Board (incumbent appointed by current board to fill vacant seat) Years lived in the district: We have lived in the MASD for 15 years Previous elected office (if any):  Sixth year on School Board MUKWONAGO – Incumbents Craig Vertz and Jason Bennett are hoping to retain their seats for Mukwonago Area School District West Region against challengers Aaron Hackett and Chris Nowak FREEMAN: Why are you running for the School Board Bennett: I’m running for the Mukwonago School Board to ensure academic excellence and advanced degrees in mathematics and statistics I bring expertise in decision-making and data-driven solutions My priorities include maintaining high educational standards I also believe in fostering patriotism by teaching civic responsibility and respect for our nation’s Christian values By promoting strong academics and a love for country we can prepare students for success while strengthening our community’s future Hackett: Mukwonago has been good to my family and I want to give back The highlight of my career was serving as the School Resource Officer for a neighboring school district for 8 years I worked with educators and parents to increase safety It allowed me to build relationships with the community and develop a deep appreciation for educators My priorities will include maintaining a safe I will advocate for rigorous academics balanced with consideration of the taxpayers Celebrate and support our staff and facilitate communication between the school and the community Nowak: I’m running to build stronger schools through smarter spending We must keep spending in the classroom—the further money gets from students and teachers This means prioritizing classroom resources We must expand early learning opportunities and uphold a board-driven expectation of growth for every student ensuring secure buildings and a distraction-free learning environment my priorities are the kids of Mukwonago Area Schools and making sure these great kids have the very best teachers and facilities to make their future bright 5 of our 6 elementary schools are exceeding expectations and we have made many changes at the High School to hit our goal to be  in the top 10% of the state for test scores Let's keep our schools on this path of success FREEMAN: How do you view the school board’s role vs the administration’s role in running the school district and budget to guide the district while ensuring accountability and representing the community is responsible for executing board policies The board should provide oversight without micromanaging allowing the administration to handle operational decisions A strong partnership between the board and administration ensures policies are effectively implemented and students receive a high-quality education that reflects the values and priorities of the community Hackett: I view the Administration's role as the “CEO” of the school district managing the day to day operations The school board’s role is to be the conduit between the district and the public The board hires and evaluates the district administrator The board is the body that ensures the metrics such as student performance and staff retention by the district are in alignment with the goals of the district the board probes to understand what needs to be fixed Nowak: The school board's role is to set the district's vision ensuring accountability and overseeing results much like a captain setting the course for a ship The administration is responsible for steering the ship and managing day-to-day operations to keep the vessel on track and ensures the district stays on course to reach its goals A strong partnership between the board and administration fosters transparency with the board charting the course and the administration navigating the journey Vertz: Mukwonago School Board is very collaborative with Dr FREEMAN: How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden Bennett: A school board balances quality education and taxpayer burden through responsible budgeting It must prioritize programs that directly impact student success while avoiding unnecessary spending and cost-saving measures helps maximize efficiency Engaging with the community ensures taxpayer concerns are heard while maintaining high academic standards By making data-driven decisions and focusing on long-term sustainability The goal is to provide excellent education while respecting the financial investment of taxpayers ensuring a strong and sustainable school system for the community Hackett: I think everyone wants to find that sweet spot where the product is high quality coupled with a low impact on the hard working tax payer I think MASD has done a really good job with this aspect We should strive to get grants wherever possible and secure funding with boosters and local partners on non academic projects to fill the gaps Nowak: A school board balances providing quality education with addressing taxpayer concerns by focusing on smarter spending and prioritizing resources that directly impact students My commitment is to ensure that funds stay in the classroom where they have the most significant impact on learning We must cut wasteful spending and direct those savings toward programs that drive academic success so everyone can see the results of responsible spending we can achieve a high-quality education while being mindful of the taxpayer burden Vertz: The MASD School Board and Administrator staff has had a 10 year budget plan and have worked to keep our facilities in great shape Our community has also supported our kids in building schools and making Mukwonago a destination district Bennett: Districts should prioritize responsible budgeting ensuring funds directly support student learning and teacher effectiveness They should regularly assess programs for efficiency and explore alternative funding sources such as grants Transparency in financial decisions fosters public trust and engagement Long-term planning helps prevent financial shortfalls while maintaining high educational standards Investing in cost-effective technology and operational efficiencies can reduce expenses without sacrificing quality By balancing fiscal responsibility with educational excellence districts can ensure students receive the best possible education while being mindful of taxpayer contributions I do not believe that Wisconsin has kept up with the times as with everything the cost of doing business will increase with time My hope would be to continue to press the state lawmakers regarding the outdated equations that have been set for education I would also like to see an increase from the state regarding special education funding as that is a huge cost to local districts continue to plan for the future with what we have pay off debt early and go to referendum only when absolutely necessary Nowak: Districts must focus on smarter spending and invest in programs that drive student success we can strengthen schools without overburdening taxpayers my goal is to ensure that every dollar spent has a direct impact on student achievement It’s about being strategic with our resources ensuring that we are getting the most out of every dollar to benefit both students and the community without unnecessary financial strain Vertz: MASD is now being run more like a business Our new Health Clinic inside our High School has been a huge cost savings so far The MASD mill rate is one of the lowest in the county and our taxes have always been way below the state average FREEMAN: What can be done to improve student achievement and make sure graduates are ready for the real world Bennett: To improve student achievement and real-world readiness and financial literacy programs helps prepare students for future success Supporting teachers with resources and professional development enhances classroom learning and mentorship programs ensure students receive the help they need Encouraging parental involvement and fostering community partnerships strengthen student support and emphasizing communication and problem-solving skills schools can equip graduates with the knowledge and confidence to succeed in college Hackett: There are some amazing opportunities for students Being able to earn college credit through AP classes and local universities The partnerships that are in place with local technical colleges and the work release programs with local businesses are invaluable I support giving students ownership in their academic and future career planning Allowing students to reflect on their strengths and using that to guide them to a path is the support that everyone wants Nowak: To improve student achievement and make sure graduates are ready for the real world we need to focus on both strong academics and practical skills I’ll prioritize programs that teach skills like problem-solving and teamwork—things students need to succeed in life We also need to hold everyone accountable—teachers Empowering parents through involvement and open communication is key we can make sure our students graduate not just with knowledge but with the skills they need to thrive in the real world Vertz: The cell phone policy we passed has been great It’s more than just rules; it's about fostering real connections among students hallways and cafeteria become places of laughter and learning again I'm committed to this kind of positive change for our schools We have added 4 hours of education per week at the High School and our Technical Education group has won many awards for getting our kids career ready and/or college ready Badger junior Ryan Albanese went 3-for-4 with three RBIs in Badgers 9-6 victory over Mukwonago Friday Badger senior Logan Levitt went 3-for-4 at the plate in the game against Mukwonago Friday Badger freshman Connor Kavanaugh pitches in relief in the game against Mukwonago Friday Badger senior Zach Walton lays down a bunt in the game against Mukwonago Friday Fourteen hits and a pair of four-run innings later helped lead the Lake Geneva Badgers to a 9-6 non-conference victory over Mukwonago Friday April 25 to earn their ninth win of the season the Badger baseball team is loaded with a lot of talent and a lot of depth and they certainly showed that from top to bottom in the lineup on Friday despite the rather miserable conditions Mukwonago got one run on the board in the top of the first inning off Badger senior pitcher Gavin Stewart to make it a 1-0 game responded in a big way at the plate in the bottom of the inning and made up for the earned run he gave up in the first on the mound Badger junior Matt O’Grady used his speed and beat out an infield single to reach base with two outs launched an RBI double into the gap to tie the game up at 1-1 But the first of two big innings for the Badgers came in the bottom of the second after Stewart who found himself in a bit of jam in the first only needed seven pitches to get through the top half of the second Badger senior and Millikin Baseball signee Riley Lussmyer led off the bottom of the second inning with a double followed by a single from fellow senior Logan Levitt to put two men on with no outs But unfortunately for Mukwonago or any team that goes up against Badger banking on the bottom of the order to be easy outs is a mistake a junior second baseman and slotted ninth in the lineup hit an RBI single out to left field to score Lussmyer from third to pull ahead and make it a 2-1 game Later in the inning with still two guys on base lined a two-run single up the middle and senior Ryan McCarthy capped off the first of two four-run innings with an RBI single to stretch their lead to 5-1 heading into the third But Mukwonago began to claw their way back over the next innings which included a two-run double from senior Austin Arnold in the third and a pair of RBI singles juniors Isaac Teisl and Carson Greuel in the fourth to tie the game back up at 5-5 Levitt got his second hit of the game batting in the eighth hole and Albanese came through in the clutch again when it was needed the most hitting a two-run double out to left field But the Badgers weren’t quite done as senior and leadoff hitter Zach Walton hit an RBI single to score Albanese and O’Grady drove in Walton all the way from the first to give them their ninth and final run of the game Badger may be an experienced group with nine seniors and seven juniors on the team and that goes far beyond the upperclassmen Badger freshman Connor Kavanaugh and sophomore Matt Jensen came in in relief on the mound in the final four innings and striking out a combined five Mukwonago batters to maintain the three-run victory Albanese finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Levitt also finished with a stellar day at the plate by going 3-for-4 and Stewart went 2-for-2 with one RBI and two walks McCarthy was 1-for-3 with one RBI and Lussmyer was 1-for-3 with one run scored Email notifications are only sent once a day An outstanding 12-strikeout performance on the mound by Big Foot’s Connor Weeks along with a four RBI day at the plate from fellow senior Kon… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account MUKWONAGO — Mukwonago residents will see a referendum back on the ballot for the second time this year the Mukwonago Area School District is asking voters to approve a $89.1 million referendum for a mix of new construction and renovation of Park View Middle School Two dozen community members attended an informational session and tour by district officials Wednesday night to learn more Ryan Bruhn is a father of three students in the district “I feel passionate about Mukwonago and schools It’s our kids; we need to reinvest in them and our future,” he said the referendum would address aging infrastructure Watch: Mukwonago voters to decide on multi-million dollar referendum and we don't have enough room in bleachers for everyone,” said Luke Spielman the middle school would serve 6th-8th grade students The funding would also allow the district to create larger classrooms The plan would create 210,000 square feet of new construction and renovate 32,400 square feet of space Superintendent Joe Koch emphasized the need for capital investment “These are needs for our district,” Koch said With just under 10,000 votes cast in the race the district determined the spring referendum was too expensive homeowners would pay about $120 more a year in taxes on a $500,000 house For more details on the referendum, you can visit the Mukwonago Area School District’s website. A well failure at a Mukwonago elementary school has resulted in the school being closed Thursday and that there would be no school there Thursday All other district schools will operate as normal The district said in its online posts that it was able to safely operate the school the rest of Wednesday with the remaining water in the system but said the building would not be able to function with students tomorrow "We are currently assessing the situation to determine a timeline for restoration of the well More information will be provided as soon as we are able to share it," the district said Mukwonago Area School District superintendent Joe Koch said the issue was discovered around noon after staff noticed lower water pressure in the restrooms He said the school had water pressure for toilets for the remainder of the day and provided bottled water for drinking as the school's fountains and kitchen were shut down "We will not have any water pressure tomorrow Our maintenance department quickly worked with our contractor to get the repairs started at the end of school today We do not have a specific cause of the issue at this time," Koch said in his email Koch said tomorrow will be an off day for Rolling Hills students; staff will report to different locations in the district and can access their classrooms during the day tomorrow This story will be updated as more information becomes available Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12 The Village of Mukwonago readies poll workers for Election Day with safety training Mary Patz has been watching over the vote in the village for 15 years They said most of the issues they see are minor “Because the line is too long or this or that,” said Mary “They get frustrated but they don’t take it out on us,” said Joyce on Thursday the Village of Mukwonago is talking about election safety They want to see that people like Mary and Joyce are not hurt while helping others The village Police Chief Dan Streit says for the first time in his 30-year history with the department they are teaching poll workers de-escalation techniques “As far I am aware it is nothing poll workers have ever been trained in so we are just going to give them a few techniques to try to help de-escalate a situation should it arise The Village Clerk Diana Dykstra also covered ballot safety showing the poll workers the different voting machines “Make them comfortable with the ballot box themselves It is all in an effort to make sure Election Day goes smoothly Just to see the turnout that we have for it,” said Joyce “I can’t wait until it is over,” said Mary the Village of Mukwonago Police plan on stopping by each of the polling locations periodically throughout the day to make sure things stay safe If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741 Police are now investigating the fatal shooting of Mukwonago School Board member Vito Schwartz as a homicide-suicide 1 to a residence on County Highway E in the area of County Highway EE for a report of two dead people They found a 45-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman who were both dead with gunshot wounds from a small caliber firearm police did not identify the victims but have since confirmed they were Schwartz and Michelle Lynn Brown The Waukesha County Medical Examiner's Office identified Schwartz's cause of death as a homicide due to a gunshot wound Brown's cause of death is listed as a suicide She and Schwartz lived in the home together Town of Mukwonago Police Chief Thomas Czarnecki said police believe the two were in a relationship as indicated by Schwartz's Facebook profile The investigation into the matter is ongoing Czarnecki said police do not know of a motive and "may never be able to determine that with certainty." The Mukwonago Area School District announced in a Nov He is survived by four children who are all Mukwonago High School graduates or current students “Vito was a vocal supporter of our district,” said Mukwonago Area School District superintendent Joe Koch in the district's statement. “Besides his work on our school board, Vito was active in the community as the co-owner of Semper Fi Roofing and a proud veteran of the Marine Corps We have a strong community and will work through the loss of Vito together." RELATED: Domestic violence deaths are rising. Children are witnessing them. Inside the crisis facing Milwaukee County. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12 The Mukwonago Village Board of Trustees tabled a vote on an ordinance Wednesday night aimed at helping the Mukwonago Area School District enforce its cell phone policy The proposal would allow court penalties for those who repeatedly violate the district's new cell phone policy during the school day and on school grounds Watch: Mukwonago Village Board to vote on proposal enforcing school cell phone policy "It's unreasonable," student Kaylee Lyons tells TMJ4 Lyons believes adding the potential for a citation is unnecessary "I think it's reasonable for the school to issue a suspension if that's what they want to do," Lyons explained "That would be better than making students feel like they have the fear of police in a way." "It's a very tough situation," Julie Rezash said who worked as a teacher for years in another district said she saw the issues surrounding cell phones and older kids even though her students were on the younger side "The parents need to support the school system You're sending your kids to learn," Rezash stated MASD Superintendent Joe Koch told TMJ4 that a citation would be a last resort He explained that while most students follow the policy in a few cases administrators are met with substantial resistance "They're being told by parents that their children can ignore the cell phone policy in school administrators are being yelled at and sworn at We want to make sure this policy is enforceable," Koch said It is not clear how much a citation would cost The police chief says it would be up to a judge to decide if the ordinance is approved A Mukwonago man jumped into action when a woman collapsed stopped breathing and went pulseless while running the Chicago marathon.  “The doctors are like you shouldn’t be here right now It is truly amazing you are here,” said Brian Beres on what doctors told the woman after she was revived Brian usually spends his days at ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital-Mukwonago dealing with emergencies as a nurse So he didn’t hesitate when something happened during the marathon But he says the reason behind why he runs is what brought him there that day Brian Beres is talking about Ann & Robert H Brian has been a marathon runner for more than a decade He runs the Bank of America Chicago Marathon nearly every year to raise money for that hospital in honor of his son Kieran “He had life-saving surgery at 5 days old,” said Brian Brian's other mission this year was to run the 26.2 miles in a time that would qualify him for the Boston Marathon “I was kind of in a rhythm with how I was running and everything felt good,” said Brian He says his instincts as an emergency room nurse kicked in “She didn’t have pulses and she wasn’t breathing,” said Brian “I started CPR immediately with her with this bystander.” Brian performed CPR on the woman for 45 minutes before the fire department could get her off the course and to the hospital Brian said he was able to pass on a miracle in the same place his son was saved Watch: Mukwonago man saves woman's life during a marathon Maria had suffered a heart attack while running “We are deeply appreciative of the quick actions of Brian and others on the course who provided aid.” “This was God’s way that this is the race you are going to run I was meant to be there for her,” said Brian Brian had been trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon He hopes there is still a way he can be considered to run Full statement from the Bank of America Chicago Marathon: the safety and well-being of our participants spectators and community members is our top priority A key part of the event’s safety messaging is the importance of hands-only CPR and being prepared to lend a helping hand in case of an emergency We are deeply appreciative of the quick actions of Brian as well as others on course to provide aid towards a runner in distress Their actions exemplify the collaborative spirit that promotes the health and safety of all event attendees and showcases what the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is all about." Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Wis. — The Mukwonago Area School District (MASD) will be getting the funding it needs to update Park View Middle School Voters in Mukwonago recently approved an $89.1 million dollar referendum to fund improvements to its middle school The updates include building a brand new 210,000 square foot building while renovating parts of its current campus Koch said when after the original proposal failed in April they focused on getting feedback from the community He also said that’s the main takeaway from this experience that other districts trying to pass referendums can learn from “Taking the time to redesign the project in a manner that met our needs but also addressing what the community concerns were and then making sure we had community support," said Koch referendums are entirely contingent on community support you are not going to have a successful project.” the school district is working on the final design of the new Park View Middle School building The goal is to finish the project by the 2027-2028 school year Koch said the updated school will have larger classrooms “We will see the academic opportunities for 6th graders grow in the areas of music "The kids will be in a traditional middle school environment We will see benefits in the area of the co-curriculars as well Kids will be participating in school-based sports with their peers.” this project represents a future where students in Mukwonago are put in the best environment to succeed It was another week of celebrations in Wisconsin high school boys basketball as two scoring marks were met and Mukwonago made an impact off the floor with its annual fundraiser We unpack highlights from the week in our weekly takeaways Mukwonago raises over $150,000 for Make-A-Wish WisconsinMukwonago held a culminating celebration and check presentation between the boys and girls basketball games Tuesday night for its annual fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin A total of 389 Mukwonago students collectively raised $152,453 for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin with the top high school team fundraiser being the boys basketball team The top fundraiser among third- through eighth-grade boys and girls teams were the fourth-grade boys and fourth-grade girls basketball programs Each of the teams recognized as top fundraisers were awarded a pizza party with "all-you-can-eat" candy for their efforts The top individual fundraisers were senior varsity boys basketball player Peyton Pollnow ($4,862) and fourth-grade girls basketball player Skylar Schneider ($2,767) who each won an autographed jersey from Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton It was also a banner week for Aaron Womack of Dominican, who began the week being announced as one of six finalists for the statewide senior-only Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Mr. Basketball Award Womack took his show on the road this week in a big way starting with scoring 50 points on 64% shooting from the field in a 100-75 win at Milwaukee Hamilton on Wednesday That performance put him within striking distance of another milestone His response was another masterclass of 46 points on 18-of-26 shooting (69%) including 7-for-10 from deep to lead the Knights to a 107-60 win He became just the 60th boys basketball player in Wisconsin state history to reach 2,000 career points Girls basketball highlights: Ameerah Grant goes for 56 points, Pewaukee dominates in Friday area high school girls basketball takeaways One hill yet to climb could be summitted in short order as Womack joined 2015 graduate Diamond Stone as just the second 2,000-point scorer in program history Stone's all-time career scoring mark of 2,193 points is now just 150 points away from Womack's career total of 2,043 The Knights have seven regular-season games remaining and look like a safe bet for a few more in the postseason Womack on the season is averaging 30.8 points per game for 12-5 Dominican and a strong and healthy finish to the year should put the scoring title well within his grasp Westosha Central upsets Waterford to tighten Southern Lakes raceWhile some conference leaders like Kettle Moraine and Slinger are beginning to distance themselves from the pack things are just getting interesting after a significant result Monday in the Southern Lakes Conference-leading Waterford was held to a season low in team scoring as it fell 54-42 to Westosha Central The defense for the hosting Falcons held the Wolverines to just 12 first-half points along with a 16-of-53 (30%) night from the field for the game Westosha Central had three players score in double-figures led by 18 points from Cornell commit Elijah Griffin 13 from Rex Longrie and 10 from Camden Oppenneer After each team picked up a conference win later in the week both now sit at 8-1 in the Southern Lakes on the season Each team has five conference games remaining 27 rematch in the regular-season finale Feb WEST ALLIS – It took until the fourth week of the playoffs but the Muskego football team finally evened its record against conference opponents That ought to tell you something about the topsy-turvy season for the 2024 Warriors, who got healthy, got better and then got themselves to the WIAA Division 1 state championship game With a punishing running game and stifling defense that made one final, crucial stop in the closing minutes Friday night, Muskego advanced with a 16-14 victory over Classic 8 rival Mukwonago at the West Allis Sports Complex it’s the whole world,” Warriors fullback Jack Labisch said this is what we just waited for our whole lives.” The game closed a circle for Muskego (9-4) which lost its first meeting with Mukwonago in Week 4 when Labisch went down with a dislocated elbow and then fell in three of its next four games while fighting through more injuries than most people realized the Arrowhead game we started two new guards and we started five brand new kids,” Muskego coach Ken Krause said “I thought the players and coaches did a great job of ignoring anybody outside the program that was being negative and it kind of rallied us a little bit if anybody was negative and we stayed positive.” Grit came in handy again Friday after Mukwonago’s Jack Savasta returned the opening kick 96 yards for a touchdown But Muskego struck back quickly on its first possession with Jackson Niemiec’s 18-yard touchdown run and the Warriors never trailed thereafter Labisch posted his fifth straight 100-yard game since returning Every time our offense is focused on ‘we need one big play,’ we’re just gonna try to get that play the best of our ability.” Muskego quarterback Joey Shaw scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter and Gabe Walden added a field goal in the third quarter Mukwonago got a 3-yard touchdown run from Colton Lynch in the third quarter and got the ball three more times The first chance ended in a punt and the second on an interception by Muskego’s Brady Hojnacki Mukwonago picked up a rare Muskego fumble to take over on the Muskego 31 with 3:20 on the clock but managed just 4 yards on four runs and the Warriors were able to run out the clock mental training,” defensive lineman Liam Shaw said “That’s where E plus R equals O: event plus response equals outcome Muskego will play Bay Port for the title after the Pirates beat D.C The Green Bay school has been to the championship game once so there was no time,” Krause said when asked about his knowledge of the next opponent “I didn’t spend one second looking at anything about Bay Port Muskego has played in three championship games falling in 1994 and then capping unbeaten seasons in 2018 and ’19 under Krause This team is different from the two that preceded it Catholic Memorial returns to title game: Surprise, surprise: Catholic Memorial is headed back to state again under coach Bill Young They’re giving the absolute most they have “I think the culture of our program is carrying us with this team but obviously there’s no Wisconsin Badgers on the team The memorable playoff run included victories over Janesville Craig (42-6) The season came to an end with a loss to Muskego (16-14) in the state semifinals Mukwonago has qualified for the playoffs 28 times in the long, rich storied history of the program, making its first post-season appearance in 1983. The Indians claimed their first and only state championship in 2004 under the leadership of Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Keith Hensler and were state runner-up in 2022 pic.twitter.com/9ayvr5Z5Vm The Indians kick off the season with a non-conference home-field showdown against Appleton North on Aug 8/22 – Appleton North (Home) 8/29 – Sun Prairie East (Home) 9/5 – Menomonee Falls (Home) 9/12 – Oconomowoc (Away) 9/19 – Kettle Moraine (Home) 9/26 – Pewaukee (Away) 10/3 – Hartland Arrowhead (Home) 10/10 – Waukesha West (Away) 10/17 – Muskego (Home) To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App -- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com JEFF HAGENAUJeff Hagenau has been a sports writer in southeast Wisconsin for the past 28 years He graduated from Carroll University with a degree in journalism and has showcased his versatility by reporting on a wide array of sports over the course of his memorable career © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER WI— An ordinance allowing for police to write citations for students in school using a cell phone has been tabled indefinitely This comes after the Village of Mukwonago’s Committee of the Whole took comments from members of the community and parents of students who attend Mukwonago Area School District “I see zero connection between a school phone use policy and the health and welfare of the village.” said one parent Even village board trustees were not supportive of the ordinance being put into effect Village board trustee Ken Johnson told the board that such an ordinance would be a bit of an overstretch “In my years of service in law enforcement I’ve never had any school policy that was backed up by a city ordinance,” said Johnson I would not be in favor of putting this ordinance into our books.” Board trustee Dale Porter said if the ordinance was to be enacted it would only affect one student in the district is that the ordinance would maybe enlighten a parent and show them that the district is serious about the policy,” said Porter there is one student that would at this time receive a ticket The district would feel that it would be better for that student to receive a ticket and maybe wake up the parent to get on board with school policies versus suspending or expelling the student.” The ordinance was first proposed to the Committee of the Whole on November 20th but no details were revealed as to how much a citation would cost a student After comments from the public and concerns from board members the committee ultimately decided to table the proposal indefinitely his response to the notion of potential revenge was pretty cut and dried with a big smile "Darn right," Gnewuch said of his team getting a second chance at one of the teams it shared the C8 crown with this season Mukwonago earned another shot at its rivals following a victory that looked dominant early and became rather dicey late as the Warhawks found a way back in a 22-21 victory over No 1 seed Verona on the road to set up the Week 3 rematch "These kids have wanted this," Gnewuch said it looked like a typical Mukwonago performance for a team that's a possession or two away from being undefeated since that Week 3 defeat Mason Radobicky found paydirt before some fans could even find a spot on the cold bleachers at Hensler Field The defense forced a three-and-out against Case's high-powered offense and Mukwonago was off and running setting up a beautiful rollout throwback call from Gnewuch to seldom-used tight end Luka Tess who raced about 40 yards down the Case sideline for a two-score lead Radobicky plowed in from a yard out following a Jack Savasta interception of Case quarterback Leo Chiappetta late in the opening quarter and the rout appeared to be on Case's storybook season had a little more ink in the pen Chiappetta found Lincoln Myer in the corner of the end zone on the back of a strong Michael Farr kickoff return and despite a missed extra point the visitors had some life down 15 points at the break "We had to get it to halftime," Case coach Anton Graham said but the hungry bunch from Racine just couldn't quite capture the magic of last year's 31-point second half The Eagles faced a fourth-and-10 from the Mukwonago 21 and couldn't convert on the opening possession of the second half They did open the fourth quarter with the first points of the game since their own late in the second quarter to trim the deficit to seven Tolan Johnson, one of last week's heroes against Oconomowoc caught a 21-yard strike from Chiappetta and then recovered a fumble on defense with 9:23 to play on Mukwonago's 35-yard line Chiappetta was being corralled in front of the Case sideline on fourth-and-4 from the Mukwonago 13 The Eagles offense never touched the ball again On a crucial third-and-long for Mukwonago after the defensive stop Mason Kelley's heave downfield in front of Mukwonago's bench somehow found Tess' hands again after the big tight end caught the deflected pass over two Case defenders to extend the drive in what was likely the most backbreaking play of the night for Case We just kept pursuing the ball," Gnewuch said I'm proud as heck of how we were able to just drain that clock at the end We were able to get the hard yards on the ground While Mukwonago gets a second crack at a conference rival next Friday it was the end of the line for the Eagles and the best season in program history since 1986 Graham felt his team left too many opportunities on the field but the outlook is bright for his program to step out of the shadows in Racine and into the spotlight across the state I still believe this team has the capability to go to state and win the state title," Graham said we're just gonna have to get back to the drawing board a little bit We're thankful with the opportunities that did come and we're gonna build off it We were able to do a lot of good things this year We were able to kind of change the tide a little bit in Racine and people understand that Case is real." If you attended a game involving a Milwaukee-area team then congratulations because you probably saw some late-game chaos Out of the 15 teams that are still playing next week seven won their second-round contests Friday by either one possession or one point New Berlin West (29-28) and Milwaukee Academy of Science (36-35) all won games by a single point Arrowhead survived a 22-point fourth quarter with top-seeded Verona to advance in the D1 playoffs Brendan Foley recovered his own fumble at the 1-yard line with 86 seconds left in regulation to put the Warhawks in front Carson Fletcher scored with 35.2 seconds left for Racine Horlick in its D2 showdown with Badger but a failed two-point try dashed any hope of a monumental upset of the defending state champions With nine minutes left in the fourth quarter Catholic Memorial held a 20-19 lead over Reedsburg 26 points were scored and the lead changed four times including with 27 seconds remaining to put CMH on top for good with a successful two-point try New Berlin West trailed by 13 points (28-15) to start the fourth quarter in its D2 matchup with Greendale and used a 14-point fourth quarter to triumph over the Panthers and move on to the quarterfinals Milwaukee Academy of Science played in another game of the week candidate 2 seed Darlington to move on to play top-seed Prairie du Chien next week Darlington held a 23-22 halftime lead over the Novas but second-half touchdowns for Mekhi Malcom and backup running back Jemari Parker helped send MAS into the next round after Darlington's two-point try to win the game with 1:14 left in regulation failed Vote for football player of the year: Cast your votes: Who should be Journal Sentinel high school football player of the year? As the scene shifts to the quarterfinals next Friday here's a look at the remaining Milwaukee-area programs still vying for state titles including four of the final eight teams in both Division 1 and Division 3 including a pair of one-seeds with Badger and Slinger The only division not represented by any area program is Division 6 Wis. — The Mukwonago Area School District is making another appeal to voters to fund improvements to its middle school April’s referendum would also have created space for 4-year-old kindergarten programs and reconfigured one of its school’s parking lots Superintendent Joe Koch said after this failed school leaders took feedback from the community to heart “We were told that the project was too expensive there was too much of a tax impact and that we should pay off our high school debt first,” Koch said “Several of our communities went through a reassessment of the property value and some people were concerned about the impact of that reassessment.” There have been several changes to the current proposal compared to the one that did not pass in April Instead of building a brand-new middle school the district will renovate parts of the current campus and add a 210,000 square foot building next to it $89.1 million facilities referendum is cheaper for taxpayers while still supporting the district's needs “What we are proposing is bringing the 6th graders to the middle school,” Koch said 7th and 8th grade building and then that would free up space at our [elementary schools] That would have a domino effect across our district by giving our [elementary schools] two to three more vacant classrooms that can accommodate growth.” Park View Middle School opened in the 1950s Classrooms on the older side of campus have water pipes that run through them and have HVAC systems that stick out Principal Luke Spielman said as the student population grows “We expect our students to be able to collaborate because there is not a lot of space between desks for students to be able to move or the teacher to be able to move around the classroom,” Spielman said Outdated infrastructure also impacts STEM classes and electives such as band “The noise just reflects off of the ceiling and off of the walls,” Spielman said “In a newer space — if you were to visit other schools — what you would find is that higher ceilings a floor that would absorb some of that noise you would find sound panels on the walls just to dampen the noise in a classroom.” Spielman said it’s important to offer more courses like one in robotics, but the current building provides challenges to making that happen “A new facility in this classroom to allow students to build on a daily basis but also to store what they built so that they continue to build on it it’s about letting students explore their interests and learn while they are young and still exploring what their futures could hold He believes this referendum can help accomplish that For more on the Mukwonago Area School District referendum, click here According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, there are 120 school districts across the state that are pursuing referendums in November Researchers said this is the largest number of school districts going this route in recent history “These are the two biggest factors: Inflation and the lack of stimulus that we think are motivating districts,” said Ari Brown a Wisconsin Policy Forum research associate “Part of that is motivated by a major election year.” Wisconsin Policy Forum said more than 50% of these referendums pass every year Mukwonago players celebrate after beating Hudson in four sets in a Division 1 quarterfinal match during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon and junior outside Erin Mierow try to block Hudson senior setter Ellie Burns in a Division 1 quarterfinal match during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon Mukwonago senior outside Gabriella Pitcel hits past the block of Hudson senior setter Ellie Burns in a Division 1 quarterfinal match during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon Mukwonago senior libero Alexis Gardner passes the ball as senior teammate Gabriella Pitcel looks on in a Division 1 quarterfinal match against Hudson during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon Mukwonago senior setter Natalie Powers sets the ball in a Division 1 quarterfinal match against Hudson during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon ASHWAUBENON — It was everything you’d expect from a four-versus-five matchup — back and forth slim margin for error and sets going down to the wire That made it fitting the Mukwonago senior outside hitter registered the final kill of the night giving the fourth-seeded Indians a thrilling 23-25 5 Hudson in a Division 1 quarterfinal match during the WIAA State Girls Volleyball Tournament on Thursday at the Resch Center Pitcel had the fifth-most attempts ever in a D1 state match with 79 but it’s also like a privilege to be set as much as I do,” said Pitcel “And to just take each one if I get blocked to just reset right away and keep coming back.” Junior right side Lucy Sarna added 17 kills as the Indians won their first-ever state match in their second trip in program history you know they’ve got to kind of pick which one they want to try and defend,” Mukwonago coach Morgan Funk said Hudson let a five-point lead slip away in the opening game as the Indians erased a 15-10 deficit and ultimately evened the set at 22-22 on a kill by junior middle Katie Sterny But the Raiders scored three of the final four points to take a 1-0 lead Four straight points for the Indians gave them a 22-21 lead three of those coming by way of Pitcel kills Mukwonago finally put it away on an attack error to even the match “We don’t play them in the regular season,” Funk said So it’s kind of as much film as you can watch you still have to be able to see it in the game It was more of the same in the critical third set And while the Raiders battled back to take a two-point advantage with Pitcel powering home another kill to put the Indians one set away but after Mukwonago rallied for a 12-11 lead on a Pitcel kill neither team led by more than two the rest of the way an attack error on the Raiders ended a marathon point as she tooled the block on her 79th attempt of the night to set off a raucous celebration my coach did say it’s gonna be a dog fight with every point,” Pitcel said you’ve really got to be confident in yourself and your team to go for every point like it’s your last point.” Senior setters Natalie Powers and Keira Robidoux had 25 and 24 assists Five different Indians had at least 14 digs led by 22 from senior libero Alexis Gardner and 21 more from junior outside Erin Mierow Mukwonago takes on top-seeded and nationally-ranked DSHA in Friday’s semifinal at 1 p.m who swept eighth-seeded Holmen in their quarterfinal match are the two-time defending state champions “We’re having the time of our lives up at state A lot of these girls have accumulated four years three years of work to put into this moment and we’re just gonna go out and give it everything we got.” Diana Dykstra at a local election event in May 2024 MUKWONAGO — A familiar face has been named Mukwonago village administrator — Diana Dykstra She has held the clerk/treasurer position since 2019 and has more than 24 years of experience in public administration She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration she is a credentialed master municipal clerk and an ICMA-credentialed manager "I am truly grateful for the trust they have placed in me and I look forward to working with the Village Board "Diana Dykstra has shown dedication and proven leadership as our clerk-treasurer and interim administrator we as the Village Board have full confidence that these qualities will continue as we start a new chapter with Ms Dykstra was one of four candidates who went through an extensive interview process which led to her final appointment on Aug A swearing-in ceremony will be held at 6 p.m Judge Cody Horlacher will conduct the swearing-in Appleton North and third-ranked Mukwonago clashed in a nonconference Week 1 showdown in our Cellcom Varsity Game of the Week football livestream Watch as USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin’s Brett Christopherson, Ricardo Arguello and Jim Rosandick brought you the high school football coverage from Paul Engen Field in Appleton More: Watch past Varsity Game of the Week livestreams More: 32 of the best high school football players in Wisconsin in 2024 More: Here are 7 storylines to watch this high school football season