West of the I

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

Note: The Kenosha County Fair is a westofthei.com sponsor. — DH

The hay bale throwing contest at the Kenosha County Fair will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday of the fair. Pre-registration starts at 5:30 p.m. There is a $1 entry fee.

The event is sponsored by Slades Corners Lucky Clovers 4-H Club.

The premise is simple. Take a bale of hay and see how far you can toss it. Techniques vary.

Classes are divided by gender and age. Prizes are awarded for the top finishers. Usually fair royalty give the contest a heave.

The Kenosha County Fair this year will be Aug. 19-23.

It was a good evening Tuesday to get a little — or a lot — wet and there was just the activity for that at the Paddock Lake Village Hall parking lot.

The Paddock Lake village government, Bristol Fire and Rescue and Scout Troop 328 hosted a pop up splash pad.

The star of the show was the Bristol ladder truck that sprayed water down on people below. Over 100 people attended this first time event, said Tim Popanda, village administrator.

Scouts handed out free popsicles and conducted a meat stick fundraiser too.

Those wishing to get wet were able to run, walk or otherwise place themselves under the spray from the fire truck.

Here are some more photos from the event:

The Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated Grade School District board is scheduled to meet Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m., in the school library.

Click here for a Google meeting link.

Agenda items include:

• Resolution Authorizing the School District Budget to Exceed Revenue Limit by $1,700,000 Per Year for Four Years for Non-Recurring Purposes
• Resolution Providing for a Referendum Election on the Question of the Approval of a Resolution Authorizing the School District Budget to Exceed Revenue Limit by $1,700,00 for Four Years for Non-Recurring Purposes.
• Academic Standards for 2026-2027

The full agenda, including links to supporting information, is available here.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Western Kenosha County.

This warning is in effect until noon. Places included in the warning area include Twin Lakes, Silver Lake, Camp Lake, Powers Lakes New Munster, Slades Corners with possible impact in Salem.

NWS also has isssued a severe thunderstorm warning until 12:15 p.m. for all of Kenosha County.

The Lily Lake Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet Monday at Wheatland Town Hall in New Munster, starting after the Wheatland Town Board meeting (which begins at 6 p.m.).

Agenda items include:

• Audit of Lake District Books
• Review of Financial report
• Set up for 2027 Budget
• Approve agenda for Annual Meeting

The full agenda is available here,

The Wheatland Town Board is scheduled to meet Monday, starting at 6 p.m. at Town Hall in New Munster.

Agenda items include:

• Discussion and possible motion for increasing court costs to $48 from $38.
• Continued discussion of Fire/EMS consolidation.

The full agenda is available here.

Note: The Kenosha County Fair is a westofthei.com sponsor. – DH

For over 50 years there has been an antique farm machinery exhibit at the Kenosha County Fair.

That’s a long time. But much of the equipment in this display will be considerably older.

Some of the machinery you might see includes:

• Old-fashioned pitcher pump to draw water.
• Rope maker, which makes rope from baling twine.
• How corn was ground into feed.
• Old tractors, including John Deere, Allis Chalmers and Farmall models.

The antique farm machinery exhibit is located just inside the Kenosha County fair main gate on the north end of the fairgrounds.

The Antique Tractor Parade will start at the Antique Farm Machinery Exhibit and head to the Grandstand area at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

If you have any old engines, tractors, horse drawn equipment, garden or farm equipment, tools or any farm related paraphernalia you would like to display, your are invited to join the Antique Machinery Exhibit. For more information contact the fair office at 262-862-6121.

The Kenosha County Fair runs Aug. 19-23 this year at the fairgrounds in Wilmot.

Monday has the highest chance in weeks of it raining here in Western Kenosha County.

The latest, local National Weather Service forecast includes a 70 percent chance of rain Monday morning. From a tenth to a quarter of an inch of rain could happen, even more if a thunderstorm develops.

The NWS hourly forecast says the rain could start as early as 4 a.m. Monday , but is most likely between 7 and 9 a.m. After a break in the afternoon, there could be a little more rain in the early evening.

It will still be a pretty warm on Monday, with a high of 89.

There’s no chance of rain in the forecast Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and less than a 50 percent chance on Thursday night, Friday, Friday night and Saturday.

Note: The Kenosha County Fair is a westofthei.com sponsor. — DH

The sound of the fenders of two cars crunching can be sickening — unless you’re at the Kenosha County Fair’s demolition derby

There will be plenty of intentional crunching at the Wilmot Raceway on the fairgrounds on Sunday, Aug. 23, starting at 1 p.m. with International Demolition Derby. More information — including how to enter — available here.

In demolition derby, competitors try to disable each other’s vehicles by running into them. The last driver with a car that can still get around is the winner.

The demo derbies always draw a good crowd to the grandstand. Seeing all the destructive action of the derbies is included in the gate admission.

This year’s Kenosha County Fair runs from Aug. 19-23.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for a portion of Wisconsin that includes Kenosha County.

The advisory is set to be in effect from noon to 9 p.m., Sunday.

The latest, local NWS forecast says Sunday’s high temperature could reach 92, with hear index values as high as 100.

It’s going to be hot Monday too, with a high temp of 90, but no heat advisory yet.

There’s a chance of rain developing Sunday night. That chance of rain increases to 40-50 percent Monday, before tapering off to 20 percent Monday night and disappearing for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

At 9:05 p.m., Wheatland Vol Fire Department and Twin Lakes Rescue units are responding for an investigation in the area of Highway P and 45th Street.

Per dispatch: Report received of smoke of unknown origin in area.

UPDATE 9:12 p.m. — Wheatland command reports he has located what appears to be a controlled burn. He is waiting for deputy to arrive.

Note: The Kenosha County Fair is a westofthei.com sponsor. — DH

The 2026 Kenosha County Fair has a number of open class specials that tie-in to the United States of America’s 250th birthday or the fair theme of Fun for the Whole Herd.

The specials are in the following areas:

• Plants & Soil Science
• Flowers & Plants
• Arts & Crafts
• Photography
• Knitting & Crocheting
• Foods & Nutrition
• Sewing
• Home Furnishings
• Quilting

Click here for details on these specials, how to enter and more information (scroll to page 11 for list). The initial deadline for entries is July 31, but entries are accepted with a late fee until Aug. 14

This year’s Kenosha County Fair runs from Aug. 19-23.

A pop-up splash pad will be getting people wet on what is forecast to be a warm day in Paddock Lake Tuesday, July 28.

The event will use fire department equipment to create a fun, wet splash zone in the Paddock Lake Village Hall parking lot from 6 to 7 p.m.

The event is co-sponsored by Bristol Fire & Rescue, the village of Paddock Lake and local Scouts.

Popsicles will also be given out at the event as refreshments.

Robert Brenner, who served as Paddock Lake’s municipal judge for almost four decades, was remembered with a memorial before municipal court this week at Paddock Lake Village Hall.

The memorial was conducted by Richard Ginkowski, the village’s interim municipal judge and past president of the Wisconsin Municipal Judges Association.

Brenner served as Paddock Lake Municipal Judge from 1988 until his retirement on Jan. 1, 2025. He died at home on June 18.

“Every month for nearly four decades, over 400 sessions of of this court, Judge Brenner lived this out with his fidelity to family, justice and community,” Ginkowski said. “He will be remembered, as he should, for that.”

Brenner’s gavel was presented to members of his family by Salem Lakes Municipal Judge Patrick Dunn. as part of the ceremony.

Though that gavel was given to the family, the gavel currently used in court also has been engraved with Brenner’s name and term, Ginkowski said.

Several other municipal judges from nearby municipalities also attended in their robes.

Here is video of a portion of Ginkowski’s comments at the memorial:

At about 5:41 p.m., Town of Randall Fire Department, Wheatland Vol Fire Department and Twin Lakes Rescue units and sheriff’s deputies are responding to the 34700 block of 116th Street in Randall for a crash.

Per dispatch: This is a vehicle versus bicyclist.

UPDATE 5:44 p.m. — Randall chief says Wheatland units can hold in quarters unless requested to respond.

The Twin Lakes Village Board on Monday approved joining an effort to study consolidating fire and emergency medical services with Randall and Wheatland.

The Twin Lakes Board unanimously approved a motion to request village President Howard Skinner appoint two board members and Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue Chief Ron Redlin to a joint consolidation committee. Skinner was absent from Monday’s meeting.

The Twin Lakes action means two of the three involved municipalities are on board with study of possible consolidation of their fire/EMS departments.

Currently Twin Lakes, Randall and Wheatland all have their own municipal fire departments. Randall and Wheatland contract with Twin Lakes Rescue — technically a separate, private, non-profit entity though it closely coordinates with TLFD — for EMS.

Fire department consolidation has become a current topic again in the wake of a consultant study commissioned by the Randall town government under a state grant.

That study, performed by Public Administration Associates LLC. and presented at a meeting in May, saw the area well served by a consolidated department using the current Twin Lakes station and a station in Wheatland near Highway O and Highway 50. That would eliminate the two current Randall fire stations, including the Bassett station, which was completed in 2004 and is the largest and newest station among the three departments.

Subsequently, the Randall Town Board voted to form a joint commission to study consolidation, if the other two municipalities agree.

The Wheatland Town Board discussed the issue at a meeting in June, but deferred a decision on joining the commission until the Wheatland fire chief, Randall fire chief and perhaps the Twin Lakes chief had a chance to discuss alternatives to the study’s recommendations. At the meeting, Wheatland FD Chief Lou Denko was critical of the study’s plan for moving forward, Denko had asked the chiefs be allowed to meet and present their suggestions on how to move forward,

Twin Lakes Village Board sentiment has seemed to be in favor of more exploration of the issue when it has been discussed. There was little discussion of the topic Monday, but no board members present objected to the concept of consolidation.

The municipalities need to “get something together so we stay talking,” said Trustee Ken Perl, who is chairman of the board’s Police, Fire, Lake Control, Parks and Beaches committee.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information:

Note; The Kenosha County Fair is a westofthei.com sponsor — DH

This year’s Kenosha County Fair will host a sensory friendly period for the carnival from 1 to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Says a social media post from the fair:

This is a free time for special needs kids and adults who would not otherwise be able to enjoy the carnival with all the music and lights when it is open to the public. There will be no music or lights. Immediate family and caregivers are also welcome to attend.

Participants must be reserved with the fair office in advance at kcf1office@gmail.com or call 262-862-6121.

At about 6:40 a.m., Paris Fire and Rescue units are responding for a crash in the 15200 block of Highway 142 in Paris.

Per dispatch: Two vehicle crash. Injuries being reported, Deputies already on the scene.

UPDATE 6:45 a.m. — Fire unit on scene reports one injury and oil on the ground.

This post sponsored by Westosha Floral.

The following deaths of local residents and those with local connections are being reported by funeral homes today. Click on name to see obituary/service information: