Help us choose the All-Suburban teams and you could win Bucks tickets

March 11, 2010 7:21 a.m. | Want to weigh in on who you think are the best boys and girls basketball players in the suburban area?

Now's your chance, as we're asking high school hoops fans to help us select the annual NOW Newspapers All-Suburban boys and girls basketball teams, and the Players of the Year.

We've nominated the top players in the area to fill 10 spots on each honors team and we're asking you to pick the players that you think are the best in the NOW Newspapers coverage area.

When the fan voting is over, your votes - along with the votes of our sports staff - will determine the makeup of our All-Suburban Teams. And one lucky person will win a pair of lower-level tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game just for voting!

Vote for the boys team

Bail set at $750,000 for suspect in UWM sexual assault

March 10, 2010 1:48 p.m. | Bail was set at $750,000 Wednesday for a 31-year-old Oak Creek man accused of sexually assaulting a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student last month, according to court records.

Joel Lee Hoffman, also known as Joel Lynch, was charged Tuesday with entering the 21-year-old student's apartment early Feb. 26 and sexually assaulting her, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint also charges Hoffman with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on Milwaukee's south side in March 2009 and stalking a 14-year-old girl on the city's south side in August and September 2009.

Hoffman is a licensed real estate agent who practiced as Joel Lynch, according to state records.

He has been registered as a sex offender since he was convicted of third-degree sexual assault in 1999, according to court records.

Wauwatosa East vs. Oak Creek girls basketball photos now online

March 09, 2010 9:56 p.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery from tonight's first-round girls basketball tournament game between host Oak Creek, a fifth seed, and 12th-seeded Wauwatosa East.

Oak Creek posted a 53-29 victory over the Red Raiders to move to the second round. The Knights will play at No. 4 King at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

31-year-old Oak Creek man held in assault of UWM student

March 08, 2010 11:44 a.m. | The Milwaukee County district attorney's office is reviewing the case against a 31-year-old man suspected of sexually assaulting a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student in her off-campus apartment last month, a Milwaukee police spokesman said Monday.

The man, an Oak Creek resident, was arrested Friday night at a motel in the 4600 block of S. 27th St., according to arrest records.

The assault occurred about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 26 in an apartment in the 3000 block of N. Maryland Ave., according to UWM officials and Milwaukee police.

The 21-year-old student had just returned to her apartment when she heard someone knock on her door and she opened the door, believing it was her roommate, university officials wrote in an e-mail to students.

A man entered the student's apartment, displayed a knife and began sexually assaulting the student, according to the university. The man left when a door to the apartment opened.

High school earns visit from Packer receiver

March 05, 2010 5:14 p.m. | Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones will pay Oak Creek High School a visit March 17.

As a reward for the high school's successful efforts in a statewide blood drive contest, Jones will hold a private photo and autograph session with students.

The school was involved with the BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Green and Gold Life contest and had the most attempting blood donors, 184, at a blood drive Oct. 23.

The school also got a $500 gift card to Staples.

Vote for the All-Suburban Basketball Team and you could win Bucks tickets

March 04, 2010 7:43 a.m. | Want to weigh in on who you think are the best boys basketball players in the suburban area?

Now's your chance, as we're asking high school hoops fans to help us select the annual NOW Newspapers All-Suburban Boys Basketball Team, and the Player of the Year.

We've nominated 14 players to fill 10 spots on the honors team and we're asking you to pick the player that you think is the top basketball player in the NOW Newspapers coverage area.

When the fan voting is over, your votes - along with the votes of our sport staff - will determine the makeup of our All-Suburban Team. And one lucky person will win a pair of lower-level tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game just for voting!

Vote here.

Oak Creek OKs church's housing proposal

March 03, 2010 12:42 p.m. | Oak Creek - The Common Council has approved a proposal from Life Creek Church to build apartments, assisted living units and condominiums for senior citizens on land next to the church, 2020 E. Drexel Ave.

The first phase is planned to be a $12 million, 80-unit apartment complex for people age 55 and over.

The proposal had drawn opposition from some neighbors who said they fear an influx of multifamily housing.

Life Creek is the former Korean Church of Milwaukee.

Plan for senior apartments backed by council, residents

March 03, 2010 12:10 a.m. | Oak Creek — A large percentage of the 150-plus people who filled the Oak Creek Community Center on Tuesday night supported a proposed senior living facility at Life Creek Church.

Those supporters, many wearing green buttons saying "Vote Yes For Seniors," left happy after the Oak Creek Common Council, on a 5-1 vote, approved the proposed $12.5 million housing facility for people age 55 and older.

The council, as part of the proposal, approved a rezoning from single-family residential to institutional, which will allow a building that will feature 80 one- and two-bedroom units. The facility wil be built next to Life Creek Church, owned by the Korean Church of Milwaukee at 2020 E. Drexel Ave.

Representatives of Life Creek said the facility will meet the growing demand for senior living in the area. It will also increase the city's tax base by $250,000 annually while not creating any extra burden on the school district, since no children will live there, officials said.

Larger venue

UWM to unveil County Grounds campus plans tonight

March 02, 2010 10:06 a.m. | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee officials will introduce plans tonight for its proposed Innovation Park, which will include an engineering and applied sciences campus, on the County Grounds off Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa.

The plans will be presented to the Wauwatosa Common Council during a Committee of the Whole meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 7725 W. North Ave. The public is welcome to attend the meeting to learn about the proposed project, but there will be no opportunity for comments or questions during the meeting.

Residents who would like to speak to UWM officials can arrive at 6 p.m. and ask questions prior to the meeting.

The next opportunity for public input will occur during the Plan Commission meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Swing into the 2010 Golf Show with free tickets

March 01, 2010 1:50 p.m. | The 2010 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Golf Show starts Friday, and you could win a pair of free tickets by entering our Twitter and Facebook contests.

On Twitter, simply follow MyCommunityNOW and tweet "I want to win free tickets to the #MKE Golf Show from @MyCommunityNOW. RT to win. Details: http://bit.ly/cPficZ"

A random drawing will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday for the three sets of free tickets, with each winner receiving four tickets. Winners must pick tickets up at NOW's Waukesha offices. Winners will be contacted through Twitter before noon on Thursday.

On Facebook, become a fan of the MyCommunityNOW fan page and respond or write on the wall about a story, photo or some other staff work you saw in one of our papers or on one of our Web sites and tell us what you liked or didn't like about that work. Two winners will be picked during a random drawing at 10 a.m. Thursday with each receiving four free tickets. Winners will be contacted through Facebook and must pick tickets up at NOW's Waukesha offices. Winners will be contacted through Twitter before noon on Thursday.

For more information on the golf show, visit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Golf Show Web site.

State wrestling photos now online

Feb. 26, 2010 10:15 a.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery featuring more than 20 images from yesterday's opening round of the WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling tournament.

Competitors from Brookfield, Franklin, Germantown, New Berlin, Nicolet, Muskego, Oak Creek, West Allis, Whitnall and Whitefish Bay are featured.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

Tattoo, body-piercing business wins permit

Feb. 22, 2010 8:50 a.m. | Mayor Dick Bolender on Monday broke a tie to allow a tattoo and body-piercing business to open at Howell Oaks Plaza, 8201 S. Howell Ave.

Dave and Abby Garner's new business will be in the space formerly occupied by Dinner By Design, if a state license is granted. The Garners also own Skin Candy Tattoo in Racine.

It is believed that it will be the only establishment of its kind in Oak Creek.

The Garners in October requested the council change its zoning ordinance to allow tattoo and body piercing establishments in the city's highway business zoning district.

Then, aldermen Steve Scaffidi, Ken Gehl and Dan Jakubczyk voted against the change, and Bolender broke the tie in favor of the request.

Oak Creek to pay $50,000 to settle accident lawsuit

Feb. 18, 2010 5:52 p.m. | Oak Creek — The Common Council this week approved paying $50,000 to Pauline Tanem, an Oak Creek resident who was injured when a city snow plow backed into her vehicle on Dec. 11, 2007.

The payment settles a lawsuit filed by Tanem.

According to the suit:

Tanem was driving westbound on E. Puetz Road. Just west of Patricia Blvd., snow plower operator Kevin Archambeau, who was also traveling westbound, stopped and backed the plow into Tanem's vehicle.

Tanem suffered upper-body injuries, including to her left shoulder.

Oak Creek hiring firm for administrator search

Feb. 17, 2010 3:22 p.m. | Oak Creek — The Common Council, which fired City Administrator Pat DeGrave last month, decided this week to hire a recruiting firm to seek candidates to replace him.

The council also decided to have Wayne St. John, the former city engineer, act as a liaison between the council and the firms that will be asked to present proposals. His travel expenses will be paid.

Mayor Dick Bolender said the council wanted to go in a new direction in deciding, on a 6-0 vote, not to renew the contract of DeGrave, who was administrator for four years.

Bolender did not participate in the vote but participated in the closed-session discussion that preceded it.

No quick resolution likely over Oak Creek Youth Football club funds

Feb. 17, 2010 1:42 p.m. | Oak Creek — Police Chief Tom Bauer said Wednesday "it's going to be some time" before police review documents and complete their initial investigation into a possible embezzlement from Oak Creek Youth Football.

A league source said the potential theft could exceed $50,000.

The league has posted a statement on its Web site saying it contacted police after learning last week of the "possible improper use of funds by an OCYF officer."

Dan Sass, president of the 5-year-old league, has said the league will not comment further. The league says it serves more than 500 students in first through eighth grades.