County committees put the brakes on bike plan

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A comprehensive bike plan for Kenosha County in the works for more than a year was derailed Tuesday by three members of the County Board.

The plan was scheduled to go before the full board soon for approval. But first it had to go through two board panels — the Public Works and Facilities Committee and the Planning, Development and Extension Education Committee.

Man charged for head-on collision

A man who told a deputy he had 10 beers and two shots before driving has been charged with drunken driving causing injury for an April head-on collision that left a teenage driver with a broken hand.

Harley A. Ruppert, 49, of Salem, is charged with drunken driving causing injury, second and subsequent; driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration causing injury, second and subsequent; and drunken driving as a fifth or sixth offense. If convicted of all charges he faces up to nine years in prison.

Bloomin’ makeover: Family thanks festival for room renovation

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Bloomin’ Bands 2013 takes place downtown this weekend, and those in charge are gearing up to donate a portion of the proceeds to help a local family in need with an extreme home makeover.

Last year’s recipient, Carter Hellwig, is an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy who needed a few adjustments at his family’s home in Pleasant Prairie.

Bong dam partially removed; repairs to come

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A damaged dam at Bong Recreation Area has been partially removed as the state makes plans for repair.

The earthen dam that creates Vern Wolf Lake failed in April after heavy rains sent water over the top. The state shut down adjacent Highway 75 for six days, worried the dam could collapse and undermine the road. Later the state was able to open gates on the dam, draining the lake.

Event briefs

BRISTOL — Pringle Nature Center is hosting the “Great American Backyard Campout” this weekend.

As part of the Leave No Child Inside program, the campout begins at 5 p.m. Saturday and concludes at 9 a.m. Sunday at Pringle, 9800 160th Ave.

Trevor-Wilmot geothermal system saving school district money

TREVOR — Trevor-Wilmot School District is saving 15 percent on its heating and cooling as a result of the geothermal system installed when the new addition was built.

Business manager Michelle Brown said Sustainable Engineering System, the company that installed the geothermal system, reviewed the school’s data this week and found the district is obtaining expected savings over what it would cost to heat and cool the building using a traditional boiler system.

Aurora seeks input on improvements to hospital in Burlington

Aurora Medical Group officials are seeking input from those who regularly recieve care at Memorial Hospital of Burlington — including residents from western Kenosha County — as they plan future facility improvements.

Dr. Jeffrey Bailtet, executive vice president of Aurora Health Care and president of Aurora Medical Group, said the hospital system is considering hundreds of millions of dollars in captial improvements.

Kemper pier closed for the year, maybe forever

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The pier at Kemper Center will not be open to the public this year, and might never reopen again — at least in its current form.

Jon Rudie, Kenosha County general manager of park operations, said the decades-old removable railings are not stable enough to be reinstalled.

Animals removed from farm going up for adoption in July

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The horses and other animals removed from Hidden Lake Stables will be up for adoption starting next month.

Pleasant Prairie filed a civil suit over the care of the animals, asking that David White and his wife, Paula Moctezuma-White, pay for the care of the horses or relinquish ownership so the village could let the animals go to new homes. The horses were confiscated in April, when police investigated a complaint that animals were being mistreated. They found five dead horses and many more were reported to be starving. The horses, plus a bull, goats, ducks, rabbits and other animals, were taken to area farms, where Clawz and Pawz, along with the help of volunteers, cared for the animals.

DNR accepting comments on “impaired” waterways list

Citizens have a third chance to comment on a modified list of Wisconsin waterways the state wants to classify as “impaired” and how it was developed.

State Department of Natural Resources officials are proposing to add the Pike River in Kenosha County to the problem waterways because of high phosphorous levels. Kenosha’s five public beaches — Alford, Eichelman, Pennoyer, Simmons Island and Southport — already are so classified.

Racine now testing Kenosha beach water because of funding cuts

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Kenosha County has lost about $13,000 in government funding to test beach water and is relying on Racine to analyze local samples this summer.

Carlton Cowie, Kenosha County Health Division lab manager, said the loss is difficult.

Test your Summerfest Headliners IQ: Are you at the right show?

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Summerfest — which bills itself as “the world’s largest music festival” — opens Wednesday in Milwaukee for its 46th year, continuing a Wisconsin summer tradition.

Here’s another tradition: Making fun of the Summerfest headliners.

County Board approves levy cap resolution

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The Kenosha County Board is recommending that any increase in the property tax levy for 2014 be capped at 2 percent.

At their meeting Monday, supervisors unanimously approved the recommendationy, which states that the 2014 general purpose property tax levy should not exceed 2 percent over this year’s levy.

Silver Lake Fire Department growing, becoming more skilled in medical service

SILVER LAKE — The Silver Lake Fire Department roster is growing, and the department is ready to man an engine with emergency medical personnel, Fire Chief Andy McFarlane said Tuesday.

“Our long-term goal is to become one municipal emergency services department,” McFarlane told members of the village’s Emergency Services Committee. “It is not somthing that is going to happen overnight. We are working toward that goal.”

Council denies cabaret license for Pop’s Place

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The Kenosha City Council on Monday denied the renewal of a cabaret license for Pop’s Place.

Without the license, the bar at 3214 60th St. can no longer have live entertainment or dancing for its guests.

Manufacturer purchases building for move to Pleasant Prairie

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L&M Corrugated Container Corp.’s plans to move a manufacturing facility to Pleasant Prairie are moving forward.

The company recently purchased a vacant building at 10860 88th Ave. in LakeView Corporate Park. The purchase price was $4.05 million, according to county records.

Village seeks to lure manufacturing jobs

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A new zoning district could help create jobs in Pleasant Prairie.

The Pleasant Prairie Village Board, following the recommendation of the village Plan Commission, on Monday approved creation of a new “production manufacturing district” zoning category. The designation is designed for manufacturing, office and research and development projects, while discouraging large warehousing development.

Event briefs

KENOSHA — A yard sale to benefit Safe Harbor Humane Society will take place Friday through Sunday at 7811 60th Ave.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Two substantially battered in fight outside bar

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Two men were seriously injured early Sunday during a fight in a bar’s parking lot.

Several fights were reported both inside and outside of Big Shotz, 3000 Roosevelt Road, around 2:35 a.m. Sunday, according to Kenosha police reports. When officers arrived, they found large groups of people crowded around someone on the ground in a parking lot across the street.

News briefs

A motorcyclist who was killed in a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon has been identified.

Mark A. Parker, 26, of Kenosha, was southbound on a 2002 Yamaha motorcycle when it collided with a 2003 Honda SUV exiting a parking lot, according to Kenosha police. The crash occurred about 12:26 p.m. at 39th Avenue and 52nd Street.

Coast Guard calls off search for missing man

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The Coast Guard called off the search for a Kenosha man who presumably drowned Monday evening near the North Pier.

A Coast Guard spokesperson said the search was terminated around midnight Monday, and there will be no further search efforts.

Bloomin’ Bands to benefit local charities

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Live music is only part of the Bloomin’ Bands event taking place in Downtown Kenosha Friday and Saturday. There will be family friendly activities, and local businesses will be selling food and drinks along Sixth Avenue and 54th Street.

Admission is free for the event, organized by the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Kenosha. Bands will play from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, and from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

Police release identity of motorcyclist killed in crash

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A motorcyclist who was killed in a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon has been identified.

Mark A. Parker, 26, of Kenosha, was southbound on a 2002 Yamaha when a 2003 Honda SUV driven by a 69-year-old man exited a parking lot and the vehicles collided, according to Kenosha police. Police said the fatal crash occurred about 12:26 p.m. at 39th Avenue 52nd Street.

Closed road in Petrifying Springs Park may never reopen

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A road used as a shortcut for golfers through Petrifying Springs Park will likely remain closed this summer, and possibly remain closed for good.

A stretch of drive through the park known as Hill Road was shut down last season due to poor road conditions. Resurfacing of the road was expected to be part of a park road overhaul project that also included removal of a dam over the Pike River.

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