Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Honor veterans by wearing the red poppy.
Novie Touchstone, this year’s Poppy Princess, stood with Mayor Jeff Scrima on Wednesday as she starts her reign passing out poppies to veterans in nursing homes and at the Waukesha Farmers’ Market. Novie’s father is a veteran and is currently in the U.S. Army Reserves. Here’s more from a Poppy Days event listing posted on Patch: Waukesha Auxiliary members of D.J. Martin Unit No. 8 understand the sacrifice our Armed Forces have made to preserve freedom and to honor past and current service members. Members of D.J. Martin Unit No. 8 will wear a red Memorial Poppy, a symbol of the price of war and the sacrifice of millions, as a sign of their appreciation this Memorial Day. The 900,000 members of the American Legion Auxiliary, the world’s …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
"We are the birthplace of Les Paul – innovator of the electric guitar – and the only small town Gibson GuitarTown. We are home to thousands of caring families, responsible business people and gifted artists."
Editor's note: This column was submitted to Patch by Mayor Jeff Scrima. The Waukesha family has rhythm. We are the birthplace of Les Paul – innovator of the electric guitar – and the only small town Gibson GuitarTown. We are home to thousands of caring families, responsible business people and gifted artists. And by bringing our tax levy in tune the last three years, in 2012 we were the only city in Wisconsin to make Money Magazine’s list of “Best Places to Live” in America. Welcome to Waukesha, where we are amplifying our values of empathy, responsibility and creativity. So stroll down our Riverwalk, or just sit and talk. Skip through the Frame Park formal gardens to our children’s library. Grab a steaming cup from one of our unique …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
New grocery store, if all government approvals are given, will locate on East Sunset Drive.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated after incorrect information about Meijer's location was posted. Meijer, a food, clothing and home goods store, is planning to locate in a vacant parcel of land on East Sunset Drive, pending all government approvals. Construction is planed to begin in 2014 with the store opening scheduled in 2015, if everything moves forward according to the preliminary timeline. “This has been and will continue to be a team effort," said Mayor Jeff Scrima in a news release. "We look forward to the quality of products, economic revitalization of the East Sunset Drive corridor, and the career opportunities that Meijer’s will provide to our community.” Scrima and Dave Smart, a local realtor, reached out to Meijer …
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Gov. Scott Walker's school choice proposal could be extended to the Waukesha School District.
Gov. Scott Walker pushed for his proposed school choice legislation, which would allow some parents in the Waukesha School District to send their children to private school on a voucher system, at a rally with Republican leaders and private schools in Waukesha on Thursday. “For us, in this budget, we are putting in language to expand opportunities choices for families,” Walker said. “Be it choice schools, charter schools, public schools and other environments so that every kid in this state – no matter where they come from, no matter what their background, no matter what mom or dad might do for a living – every kid can have a choice and have a great education.” The rally, which was held at La Casa De Esperanza, featured politicians who …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Waukesha Plan Commission approves two four-unit apartment buildings on Summit Avenue after a three-year fight.
After three years of fighting to build two four-unit apartment buildings for people with disabilities on Summit Avenue, Hebron House of Hospitality executive director Bernie Juno celebrated by giving her supporters a hug after the Plan Commission approved final plans for the two buildings Wednesday night. Several neighbors fought the apartments – without success – with concerns about the people who will live in the apartment buildings. “I am very happy, I am joyful and relieved,” Juno said. “It has been a very long process and we are very grateful.” The apartment project is for people with disabilities who have proved they can handle independent living. Hebron House has support services in place to work with the eight residents that will …
Monday, March 11, 2013
Developers of Prairieville Apartments seek final approval for a 22-unit apartment building that Mayor Jeff Scrima described as "flat" and "boring."
Downtown Waukesha could be gaining a 22-unit apartment building. Prairieville Apartments are planned for 831 N. Grand Ave., with two stories being added to the one-story parking garage currently at the location. Rental prices for the apartments were estimated in July at $850 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,100 for a two-bedroom unit. Mayor Jeff Scrima was opposed to the project when it gained preliminary plan approval in July, calling the architectural design “flat” and “boring.” The mayor said at the July Plan Commission meeting he would prefer to see the property utilized as a banquet hall or green space. “We need to be selective when we say ‘Yes’ to apartment projects in this city,” Scrima said in July. “We don’t have to say ‘Yes’ to …
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831 N Grand Ave, Waukesha, WI
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Homeowners call the apartment complex "baloney," and the Waukesha Plan Commission seemed to agree with their opposition. Mayor Jeff Scrima, on the other hand, sided with the bank and future developers.
Families in the River’s Crossing neighborhood can rest easy – for now. Dozens of people packed the City Hall chambers and asked the Plan Commission to rezone a vacant property along Clearwater. Their message was loud and clear – they didn’t want apartments in the neighborhood. The Plan Commission recommending the Common Council rezone the property from multi-family residential to two-family residential. Mayor Jeff Scrima and Commissioner R.G. Keller voted against the proposal. The rezoning requires a public hearing and Common Council approval. The property is currently owned by BMO Harris Bank. A request from Bielinski Homes for a 132-unit apartment project was placed on hold in 2010 after city staff had questions about the project, …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Possible impacts to Freeman Friday Night Live lead to veto and revised ordinance.
Working with city staff, the Common Council and Freeman Friday Night Live organizers, Mayor Jeff Scrima withdrew his veto of the city’s street closure ordinance Thursday night. Scrima vetoed the ordinance with concerns that the language was vague and could lead to arbitrary decisions in the future, especially when it comes to the popular weekly summer music events in downtown Waukesha. And that veto upset several on the Common Council. “We have a process and committee is where items are brought up and discussed and vetted,” Alderwoman Kathleen Cummings told Scrima. “It should not be in the paper.” The council approved Thursday night an ordinance that fixed those concerns. The amended language calls for the city clerk to review the specific…
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Joe LaPorte was a long-time alderman and was instrumental in getting the State of Wisconsin office building to locate along the Fox River.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated with an interview with Joe LaPorte's daughter, Kathleen Hoffmeier. A former Waukesha mayor passed away Sunday just a few days shy of his 92nd birthday. Joe LaPorte served as mayor from 1978 to 1982. He also was a long-time alderman. Every Sunday, no matter how busy they were, the LaPorte family would gather around the table for a spaghetti dinner. Italian food was a significant part of the LaPorte family life – Joe and his wife, Marion, owned LaPorte’s Tap. Those serving with LaPorte on the Waukesha Common Council would often come over for the homemade Italian sausages. Even former Gov. Lee Dreyfus was served by LaPorte, his daughter, Kathleen Hoffmeier recalled. As an alderman and as mayor, …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Jeff Scrima vetoes ordinance over concerns from Freeman Friday Night Live Committee.
Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima is vetoing a street closure ordinance passed Tuesday night by the Common Council, calling for the ordinance to be less subjective. Scrima was approached by the members of the Downtown Business Association’s Freeman Friday Night Live Committee asking for a “friendly” veto of the ordinance that was passed with a nine-to-four vote. Freeman Friday Night Live’s weekly summer street closure has been controversial for years with some claiming the event creates a difficulty for customers to get to their businesses. “They understand the intent of the ordinance and find most of it is accurate and easy to implement,” Scrima said in his veto message on Friday. “However, some language is vague and business leaders feel it …
FreeSpeech
10:24 am on Monday, May 6, 2013
Ok. My apologies then. What are your ideas? Have you brought them to city officials for consideration? Perhaps making up a packet with proposed ideas that you have researched would help sway them. Or even just an email to them with your ideas... more ›