UPDATE: Portions of Waukesha County Under Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Tornadoes and flash flooding possible with storms, according to National Weather Service.

Update, 3:25 p.m.: The National Weather Service has placed northern Waukesha County under a severe thunderstorm warning. The storm is expected to reach Lapham Peak around 3:35 p.m. today. This storm, which is traveling northeast at 15 miles per hour, is expected to reach Hartland at 3:45 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Update: A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for southern Waukesha County, including Muskego, Big Bend and New Berlin. Genesee also will be affected by the storms. The National Weather Service does not list the city of Waukesha under the warning but the stormy weather is descending on Waukesha and thunder can be heard near the Waukesha County Courthouse. The storm is capable of reaching 60 miles per …

• Photos (1)

Waukesha County Drug Unit Sees Rise in Prescription Drug, Heroin Use

Sheriff's Department captain says county had 31 fatal overdoses in 2010.

A combination of prescription drug and heroin use is on the rise in Waukesha County, leading to drug deaths in the suburban communities, according to law enforcement. “Pharmaceuticals, the diverted type, the ones that are used for not their intended purpose, that is our biggest threat in combination of heroin,” said Waukesha County Sheriff's Department Capt. Chuck Wood, during Thursday evening's Drug Free Communities Waukesha County presentation at Steinhafels Furniture. The problem with prescription drugs is that people tend to view them as safe drugs, Wood said, but then become addicted to the substances. Illegal use of prescription drugs is an expensive habit and people will switch to heroin. Heroin is “highly, highly addictive,” Wood …

• Videos (1)

Parents Talk: Summer Planning

What's your family doing this summer in Waukesha or Muskego?

Summer is generally considered a time of leisure. But summers for our family tend to be jam-packed with activities.  Living in Wisconsin, we try to capitalize on all the sunshine available. There are all the activities, classes, family reunion and vacations to schedule in. Consequently, planning and organizing summer activities is important. Some years, I pulled it off, squeezing in everything that seemed necessary for a good summer. First, I polled the children about what activities were important for them to do. Then I determined what was within our budget – out-of-state space camps were definitely not in our budget. Then, I called places and determined what activities still had openings, because as usual I started a little late. Most …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Parents Talk: The Serious Issue of Bullying

Please join our conversation about this weighty issue and how it affects the children in Waukesha and Muskego.

Based on results of a recent study, chances are good that your teenager has been bullied, knows someone who has been bullied or has bullied someone.  According to a fall 2010 study by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, half of all high school students admit they bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half (47 percent) say they were bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset them in the past year. The study reports the responses from more than 43,000 high school students, public and private. The results were similar among different types of schools attended. In public schools, 47 percent of public high school students reported that they were bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset them at least once …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Laura Mishefske

1:30 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011

Bullying is never cool. No matter what age the person is. Parents should look at their own behavior and comments to see if they are inadvertently sending the wrong message to their kids. The programs on televison now often show people being unkind to each other. It would be nice if television glorified helpfulness, sharing and cooperation rather than violence, selfishness and meanness.   more ›

Moms Talk

Moms Talk: When Should You Buy Your Child a Cell Phone?

Waukesha and Muskego parents are asked to weigh in on this topic that has mixed views.

At what age do you get a cellphone for your chilld? Under what circumstances and why? What type of controls do you have in place regarding texting and use? None? Some? And what type of phone – basic or smartphone? There are so many choices and decisions to make. According to a 2009 study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 58 percent of 12-year-olds have cell phones. Also, on a broader scope, 75 percent of American teens ages 12-17 have a cell phone, a number that has steadily increased from 45 percent of teens in November 2004. Texting is the preferred method of communication. Using a cell phone to call someone ranks second. Recently, my friends and I had a discussion about this topic. Discussion centered around the …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Waukesha County Executive Sworn Into Another Term

Dan Vrakas ran unopposed during the April 5 election.

Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas was sworn into office Tuesday for his next four-year term, according to a news release from his office. Vrakas, who ran unopposed in the April 5 election, was first elected in a special election in 2005. “I consider it an honor and privilege to serve this great county, and I look forward to continuing the county’s legacy as a leader in Wisconsin and nationwide,” said Vrakas in a news release.  “Waukesha County’s best days lie ahead.”

• Photos (1)

Waukesha County Clerk Embroiled in Controversy for Years

Kathy Nickolaus has seen "human error" from her office during prior elections.

With Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus announcing she made an error on election night, which flipped the results of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race to favor incumbent Justice David Prosser, some residents are asking questions as to how often this happens. But for Nickolaus this isn’t the first time she has found herself embroiled in controversy. In 2010, Nickolaus and Waukesha County Board Chairman Jim Dwyer and county Department of Administration officials feuded about an audit of her election system. The audit stated Nickolaus is keeping election results on a personal computer as opposed to a county system. Nickolaus said she kept the results on the personal computer because of security concerns she had with the network. She and …

•  96 Comments
• Photos (1)

bescher

2:39 am on Thursday, April 14, 2011

Ah yes TBONE a true liberal. The bad words are spewing. So you want to pay 7 million dollars a year on a train that isn't high speed, will have very few riders mainly because there isn't a good place that it would stop at in Madison. But yeah you want to spend my money. So how is the business making good money are you? How are your taxes? Just to let you know The worst cities in the US that are …   more ›