News & Notes: Jan. 11

NSFD to create unpaid firefighter intern position

Brown Deer - North Shore Fire Department Chief Robert Whitaker said the department will use a newly created unpaid intern firefighter position as a recruiting tool formerly filled by its paid on-call firefighter positions, which no longer exist.

"This will help us keep our relationship with the cadets and Explorer Scouts when they head into college," Whitaker said.

If selected as an intern, recruits will be able to volunteer a minimum of four hours a week.

"The carrot at the end of the stick would be future consideration for hiring," he said. "We had really good hires from our paid on-call program."

Interns would have to go through the normal hiring process, he said.

Fox Point has new nonemergency phone number

Fox Point - There is a new nonemergency phone number for the Fox Point Police Department effective immediately. The number is (414) 351-9900.

The change was made at the beginning of the year since all North Shore police departments and the North Shore Fire Department are in the process of switching dispatch services to Bayside. Fox Point has been contracting with Bayside for these services for more than 10 years but to facilitate the ongoing change for other departments, a new nonemergency number was created.

When residents call this new number, it will be answered, "Police and fire." For a limited time, the old nonemergency number will be forwarded.

The number for the administrative offices of the department has not changed. It is still (414) 351-8911.

And as always, residents are reminded that in case of an emergency, call 911.

Village holding referendum on County Board composition

Fox Point - The village will be one of at least seven of the 19 Milwaukee County communities holding a nonbinding advisory referendum this spring on the composition of the County Board.

The Village Board on Tuesday voted to have two yes or no questions on the ballot, one asking whether County Board positions should be part-time and another asking whether the number of supervisors should be reduced from 18 to nine.

Other participating communities include Franklin, Greenfield, Hales Corners, River Hills, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay.

In accordance with state statutes, municipalities have until Jan. 24 to vote for the referendum during the April 3 election.

Mass notification system launched in school district

Fox Point - The Fox Point-Bayside School District this week launched the Blackboard Connect mass notification platform to provide district leaders with the ability to reach parents, students and staff with important, time-sensitive information.

"Today we must be prepared for emergency situations that we never could have anticipated happening, such as the bank robber apprehension on school grounds at Stormonth and the extended power outage at Bayside this past fall," District Administrator Rachel Boechler said in a news release. "The Blackboard Connect platform provides our district with the technology needed to quickly communicate with parents and staff. We recognize the important role that immediate communication plays in safety, as well as student success, and we will use the system to engage parents and keep them informed of important issues as they come up."

In urgent situations, the district can quickly send accurate notifications and updates to parents and staff, helping to prevent the spread of misinformation, streamline efforts and keep students safe. The system also has the capability to disseminate information such as mandatory school closures, testing schedules, parent-teacher conferences and related school events. The district will integrate this capacity over time with sensitivity to limiting non-urgent messages so that emergency situations are treated as such.

Drawing on the experience gained in delivering more than a billion messages, the Blackboard Connect platform enables school leaders to schedule, send and track personalized messages to multiple phone numbers and email addresses per contact. To ensure that important messages reach parents rapidly, the district will use the Blackboard Connect platform to send emergency messages through multiple modes of communication: voice messages to home phones and mobile phones; text messages (SMS) to mobile phones; or email.

Loftus to be inaugurated as eighth president of Stritch

Fox Point - Dr. James P. Loftus will be inaugurated as the eighth president of Cardinal Stritch University at ceremonies beginning with the celebration of Mass presided by the Most Rev. Jerome Listecki, archbishop of Milwaukee, at 1 p.m. Friday.

An installation ceremony and reception follow the Mass.

The inauguration theme is Service, Faith, Excellence. and is designed to capture the essence of Stritch's unique Franciscan Catholic heritage and discern a renewed vision for the institution as it celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2012. The events take place at Stritch, 6801 N. Yates Road.

Thiensville Police have free Packers trading cards

Thiensville - The Thiensville Police Department still has a large number of Packers trading cards available for free. Officers carry the cards in their squads, so just ask, or drop by the department at 250 Elm St.

The entire team is in each of the packets, so the cards could be a collector's item.

Historic Stanley Cup visits Ozaukee County

Mequon - Tony Hrkac, Concordia University Wisconsin men's hockey coach, helps welcome the Stanley Cup when it makes a stop at the Ozaukee Ice Center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 14.

As a player, Hrkac hoisted the Cup in 1999 after his Dallas Stars team won the National Hockey League crown. Now, area hockey fans will have an up-close viewing opportunity. The Cup has been awarded annually to the NHL champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals since 1926.

Admission and photo opportunities for the Cup on Jan. 14 will be $10 for adults, seniors, and children 10 and older. Kids younger than 10 will be admitted for $5.

Admission includes cup viewing, photo taking, and CUW's men's hockey game vs. Finlandia at 2 p.m.

Village wins financial reporting award

Brown Deer - The Certificate for Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting was awarded to village of Brown Deer for the 12th straight year by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. The certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the Bridget Souffrant, treasurer/comptroller, the person primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR.

Fire Department Board of Directors elected

The North Shore Fire Department board of directors elected its officers for the upcoming year.

Sam Dickman, village president in Bayside will be president; Carl Krueger, village president in Brown Deer, vice-president; Julie Siegel, village president of Whitefish Bay, secretary/treasurer. The three will take office after the April municipal elections.

Youth service group holding meeting

Mequon - Pivotal Directions is holding a parent/student informational meeting about 2012 service opportunities from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Tolzman Community Room at the Weyenberg Library, 11345 N Cedarburg Road.

Teens who belong to the group travel to various locations to work with people in poverty. A group recently traveled to areas of Kingston, Jamaica, where children live in orphanages and garbage dumps.

To learn more about Pivotal Directions and its local servant-leadership program go to pivotaldirections.org.

Applications being accepted for Citizen Police Academy

Mequon - The Mequon Police Department announces its 2012 Citizen Police Academy which takes place on Thursdays from Feb. 23 to March 29.

The academy presents topics in defense and arrest tactics, the use of a Taser, how to detect drunken drivers, information on drug recognition and firearms training. There will also be mock traffic stops and room clearing demonstrations.

In addition, the canine unit will make a presentation to showcase canine Officer Vero's abilities and duties.

Classes are held at the department, 11300 N. Buntrock Road, and are free to residents and employees of Mequon/Thiensville.

Class size is limited to 20 so people are urged to apply quickly. Applications are available at the department or by calling Sgt. Patrick Pryor at (262) 242-3500.

First Watch Café opening in Pavilions Shopping Center

Mequon - First Watch Café, a national chain that serves breakfast and lunch is opening in the 3800 square feet of the Pavilions Shopping Center, 11036 N. Port Washington Road, previously occupied by Gourmet Outfitters.

There are 86 restaurants nationwide. The first local First Watch opened in Brookfield in 2001.

The café, expected to employ 30 people, will be open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

Neighborhood of the Year contest under way

Shorewood - Nominations for the second annual Shorewood Neighborhood of the Year contest are being accepted through Feb. 28.

Winners of the contest, sponsored by the Shorewood Connects Neighbors project, will have their block featured in an edition of Shorewood Today and will have the opportunity to march behind the Shorewood Neighborhood of the Year banner in the annual Fourth of July parade. In addition, signs noting the designation will be placed on the winning block.

The one-page application on the village website,villageofshorewood.org. Click on Shorewood Connects Neighbors at the bottom of the page.

Mequon to become city name for ZIP code 53092

Mequon - A majority of ZIP code residents, 69.3 percent, favored a change that will make Mequon rather than Thiensville the actual city name for the 53092 ZIP code, according to Timothy Holmes of the United States Postal Service.

The USPS conducted a survey through Dec. 9, asking residents' preference. The USPS will make the database changes necessary and the change will be effective Jan. 12.

The Post Office will remain in Thiensville.

Residents should be aware of the following:

Residents within ZIP code 53092 have the option to continue to use their current mailing address with Thiensville or Mequon with ZIP code 53092 as the last line of their mailing address.

Mail will be processed and delivered to the addresses with either city name within the 53092 ZIP code.

Mail will continue to be delivered by your current letter carrier from the Thiensville Post Office.

You will still continue to pick up any signature required mail, left notice parcels or hold mail at the Thiensville Post Office, 124 West Freistadt Road.

Thiensville residents may receive mail addressed to Mequon or Thiensville. Some mailers will generate mail pieces with Mequon as the city name for all 53092 addresses.

Some websites will require that Mequon be used as the city name for all 53092 addresses for address verification or online purchases.

Sensenbrenner announces service academy nominations

Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., R-Menomonee Falls, announced three residents of Ozaukee County have received competing alternate nominations to the United States Service Academies.

Mitchell Lemons of Saukville has been nominated to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. Mitchell, the son of Larry and Ann Lemons, is a senior at Port Washington High School.

Meaghan McLean, Mequon, has been nominated to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Meaghan, the daughter of Donald and Mary McLean, is a senior at Homestead High School.

Erich Steger, Mequon, has been nominated to attend the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. Erich, the son of Michael and Reneé Steger, is a senior at Homestead High School.

Nominees for the United States Service Academies were chosen from an impressive group of applicants residing throughout Wisconsin's Fifth Congressional District. Each applicant endured a rigorous application process culminating in a personal interview with a member of Rep. Sensenbrenner's Academy Selection Committee.

Sensenbrenner is currently accepting nomination applications for those who would like to enter any United States Service Academy in the summer of 2013. Inquiries concerning this process can be made to the Congressman's District Office in Brookfield at (262) 784-1111.