12 Days of Patch: December

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.

December 2011 (voting ends at 1 p.m. Dec. 28)

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To clear up any confusion about her recent appearance in a political
ad supporting Gov. Scott Walker, Waukesha School Board Member Karin
Rajnicek was asked to publicly state that

The issue was brought up during last night’s meeting of the  committee, which is comprised of Rajnicek and school board members Ellen Langill and Barbara Brzenk.

The 52-year-old man with whom police were involved in a standoff was not at the location and had fled prior to police arrival, according to an update from Capt. Ron Oremus.

The Waukesha Police Department’s Tactical Unit, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 Unit and the Bear Cat regional armored vehicle responded because of the possibility that the man had armed himself and barricaded himself in the residence, according to the news release.

:

Shawn Ropel's family sought help for his heroin addiction hours before he overdosed on a combination of drugs that left him brain dead.

The 30-year-old Waukesha man's family paints a picture of a bright man who'd found success before succumbing to his addiction.

“He was a good kid until he got mixed up with this God-damned drug,” said Rick Ropel, Ropel's father, in an interview with Waukesha Patch.

:

The Waukesha Common Council found different areas to cut spending from the city’s 2012 budget Wednesday night and approved a budget that increases taxes by $3.76 for the median home after the mayor vetoed the previous budget that raised taxes 1.44 percent.

All city employees were spared from furloughs but with the budget approval came unfunding the fire chief’s position for three months and unfunding two vacant firefighter positions and a detective. Two firefighters will not be hired until March. which leaves the fire chief position vacant.

:

The training building on Sentry Drive caught on fire overnight and the damage estimates, while not completed, could exceed $100,000, according to Fire Marshall Brian Charlesworth.

The city’s insurance adjuster has already been to the training facility and gun range. “There is a lot of electric damage from heat,” Charlesworth said.