Waukesha Patch’s one-year anniversary is Dec. 28, 2011. It’s been an action-packed year here in Waukesha and we are proud to bring you the 12 days of Patch. Each day, we will bring the most popular stories of each month for Patch readers to vote for their favorite each month.

On our anniversary, Dec. 28, we will present the top 12 reader’s selection for the community to pick the top story of 2011.

• See January 2011 here
• See February 2011 here
• See March 2011 here
• See April 2011 here
• See May 2011 here
• See June 2011 here
• See July 2011 here

August 2011 (Voting ends at 1 p.m. Dec. 24)

Police seize thousands of dollars in fake pot:

The Waukesha Police Department has seized what could be at least $20,000 worth of fake marijuana packages about an hour after two 16-year-olds were transported to Waukesha Memorial Hospital after using the synthetic marijuana, according to police.

Sgt. Jerry Habanek said Monday evening that the two teens remain in the hospital for the “adverse reactions” from what was found in "Purple Magic." The teens purchased the synthetic cannabinoids, which is packaged as a form of incense, from a Waukesha seller.

Report: Waukesha man killed when burglarizing home:

A Waukesha man was killed in a Okauchee home invasion when he told a home owner that he had a gun early Saturday morning. The home owner was armed and killed the man, according to a report from WTMJ4.

TMJ4 identified the Waukesha man as 39-year-old James Babe IV.

Solider gets 28 years in prison for killing best friend in Waukesha:

An Army vet who served two tours in Iraq will serve 28 years in prison for killing his best friend.

Twenty-five-year-old Steven P. Osburn was sentenced Wednesday for killing Zach Gallenberg in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2010, in a Waukesha neighborhood.

The shooting didn’t make sense, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Mark Gundrum said in passing down the sentence for second-degree intentional homicide.

“For what you did, you need to answer,” Gundrum said.

Pewaukee bank seeking money from former Green Bay Packer:

A City of Pewaukee bank is suing a high-profile Milwaukee business man and former Green Bay Packers Tight End Mark Chmura in Waukesha County Circuit Court seeking $2.76 million in summary judgment, according to court documents filed Friday.

The defendants being sued by InvestorsBank include the businessman Santino Bando, former Milwaukee Brewers player Salvatore Bando and Packers Hall of Famer and local radio personality Chmura. Santino Bando’s and Chmura’s spouses also are named in the lawsuit.

Wife of man killed in Okauchee was homicide victim:

The wife of a Waukesha man who was killed when burglarizing a house in Okauchee this weekend was a homicide victim in 2007.

Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls confirmed the man who was shot, James P. Babe, has the same birth date as James Babe, who was married to Laura Babe at the time of her death. Laura Babe was beaten to death on Sept. 6, 2007, at the age of 39 at her Horicon apartment.