West of the I

Wheatland Center School’s 36th annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser will take place March 14, from 4 to 8 p.m.

This year money is being raised to support the bringing of a therapy dog to the school.

Pre-sale ticket prices are:

• Adults (13-64): $12
• Kids 4-12: $9
• Kids (0-4): Free
• Gluten free $15

Pre-sale tickets can be purchased here.

At the door prices are: $12 per person, under 3 free and $15 gluten free.

Besides a spaghetti dinner catered by Luisa’s Restaurant, activities planned include: Silent auction, live auction, raffles, bake sale, wine pull and a kids area.

The Westosha Central High School District board is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the Upper Commons at the school.

Agenda items include:

• Student Services Therapy Dog Introduction and Presentation
• 18-21 Year Old Program Presentation
• Falcon’s Nest School Store Presentation
• Post Retirement Benefits for Professional Staff Hired 2001 and After
• Transportation Contract
• 2026-27 Staffing Plan Recommendation
• Professional and Administrative Contract Timeline for 2026-27
• Acknowledgement of Board Member Resignation and Process for Seeking Replacement

The full agenda is available here.

A fire in Bristol Monday afternoon burned about 40-50 acres of mostly swamp land, but firefighting efforts kept it from damaging any homes or other structures.

Bristol Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the 21100 block of 121st Street for a possible structure fire, but upon arriving found a fire in a swampy area behind a home that was spreading, said Chief John Niederer.

A strong southwest wind helped spread the fire to adjacent swampy areas. At one point, a back burn was performed to exhaust fuel for the fire.

Firefighters were on the scene until 6:30 p.m.

A Mutual Aid Box Alarm System box alarm was activated and eventually upgraded to the fifth level. Part of the reason the box alarm reached such an advanced level was shortly after the Bristol fire a grass fire was reported in the town of Burlington. When that fire also started seeking mutual aid it stretched regional resources trying to address both incidents, Niederer said.

In the end departments from Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties in Wisconsin and Lake County in Illinois joined the response to Bristol.

Coordinating all of that response and communicating between fire units and law enforcement was the job of Kenosha County Joint Services Dispatch, who Niederer singled out for praise for an especially good job in a complicated situation.

“Dispatch did a phenomenal job,” Niederer said.

Also complicating matters was that the swampy areas of the fire were difficult to reach even with grass rigs and UTVs. Two vehicles got stuck in mud and were pulled out by community good Samaritans, Niederer said.

Grass fires are a hazard at this time of year, when foliage is dry, Niederer said.

“We’re hoping for some rain,” Niederer said, along with other conditions that will allow plants to begin growing again.

There were no injuries to firefighters, law enforcement or community members, Niederer said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Related post

Units responding for fire in Bristol

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 about 4:04 p.m., Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue units and sheriff’s deputies are responding to a report of a fire in the 30000 block of Highway JB in. Brighton.

Per dispatch: Caller reporting a small brush fire.

UPDATE about 4:12 p.m. — Dispatch says deputies have located fire and report that is being controlled by a homeowner.

At about 2:30 p.m., Bristol Fire and Rescue, Paris Fire and Rescue, Pleasant Prairie Fire and Rescue and Somers Fire and Rescue units and sheriff’s deputies are responding to the 21100 block of 121st Street in Bristol for a fire.

Per dispatch: Caller reporting burning ignited nearby swamp on fire.

UPDATE 2:39 p.m. — Bristol command confirms working brush fire and activates MABAS box alarm.

UPDATE 2:45 p.m. — Other departments responding due to box alarm include Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue, Newport Fire Protection District, Kenosha Fire Department and Antioch Fire Department.

UPDATE 2:55 p.m. — Box alarm upgraded by Bristol command. Addtional reaponse from Twin Lakes Fire Department, Beach Park Fire Department, Raymond Fire Department, Winthrop Harbor Fire Department, Gurnee Fire Department, Town of Randall Fire Department, Kansasville Fire and Rescue and Waterford Fire Department.

UPDATE 3:38 p.m. — Box alarm upgraded. Additional departments responding now include City of Burlington Fire Department, Lake Villa Fire Department, Spring Grove Fire Department, Southern Shores Fire Department, Fox Lake Fire Department and Richmond Fire Department.

UPDATE — Fire burned about 40-50 acres of swamp. More details here.

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

Agenda items include:

• Public records request policy adoption
• Animal & Kennels ordinance revision discussion and possible action
• Update regarding Battery ordinance
• Consideration for signs from Defend Wheatland

The full agenda 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:

Wheatland Center School students participated in the 2026 Math 24 Regional Tournament held at the Kenosha County Center on Feb. 5 and 19.

Grade level teams from several local school districts competed this year.

Members of the WCS grade level Math 24 teams are as follows: 4th grade – Heidi Baumeister, Skylar Devall and Mason Lindh; 5th grade – Jordan Goggin, Nicholas Syreini and Hadley Madsen; 6th grade – Jonah Dumelle, Charlie Wisneski and Abigail Zavacke; and 7th grade – Jack Cavannaugh, Gregory Stephens and Gursevak Toor.

Six Math 24 Regional Tournament trophies were awarded to Wheatland students. Fourth graders Skylar Devall and Heidi Baumeister placed third and fourth overall and fifth grader Hadley Madsen placed second overall. The seventh grade team of Gursevak Toor, Jack Cavannaugh and Gregory Stephens placed first, second and third overall.

Opponents of placing a battery energy storage site in Wheatland outlined points they would like to see in a town ordinance governing the facilities.

The presentation took place at a meeting Wednesday at Wheatland Center School. The opponents had requested the meeting to be able to present the info outside of the constraints of a regular Town Board meeting, which is run by the town chairman and limits public comments.

Jenny Morehouse said the proposed ordinance she presented was largely based on laws she found in effect in other communities, including Mason County, Illinois and Forest, Wisconsin.

“I am going to ask the board to take this info and start working on an ordinance,” Morehouse said.

About 45 people attended the meting held in the Community Room at Wheatland Center School.

Also in attendance were all Wheatland Town Board members (the meeting had been noticed by the town anticipating this) County Executive Samantha Kerkman, county Supervisor Erin Decker and state Rep. Amanda Nedweski.

In January, three of four land use requests related to a proposed battery energy storage system project in Wheatland received unfavorable recommendations from the town Plan Commission. The company behind the proposal, Robin Energy Storage, then withdrew the project from further consideration before the Town Board could formally weigh-in.

Robin was proposing a battery energy storage system facility located on approximately 12 acres within an approximately 19-acre tract of land east of 392nd Avenue and north of Highway 50 in Wheatland. The site is especially apt, Robin representatives said, because it is adjacent to an existing electrical substation.

Robin had proposed to pay the town about $8 million over 20 years under a joint development agreement if the project won town approval and moved forward to completion.

Local opponents are concerned Robin will seek some other avenue to place the facility in Wheatland. They cite concerns about fire hazards and environmental harm related to possible accidents at such facilities. They base those concerns on accidents and fires that have occurred at some existing facilities in other states.

While Wheatland currently does not have a BESS ordinance, Morehouse acknowledged Kenosha County does. However, she suggested the county ordinance is not strict enough, compared to other laws she found. Weak points of the Kenosha County ordinance included setbacks and other construction standards and oversight.

Points Morehouse found in other ordinances that she felt should be included in the Wheatland ordiance include:

• Studies, reports, certifications waiver and approvals demonstrating compliance with an ordinance.
• A decommissioning program.
• Complying with the National Electric Code, International Fire Code.
• An operation and maintenance manual.
• Erosions and sediment control, storm water management plans.
• Special use permits for wetlands.
• Setbacks of 200 feet from the parcel line; 200 feet from any public right of way, 1,800 feet from any non-participating residential structure or occupied community building.
• All damages to waterways, drainage ditches, field tiles, agricultural drainage systems or any other private and public infrastructures caused by the construction or decommissioning of the BESS must be completely repaired or replaced by the property owner.
• Needed inspections to be paid for by BESS operator.
• Owner or operator shall cooperate with the local fire department/adjacent fire departments to develop an emergency response plan, including providing needed specialized equipment.
• BESS owner shall provide funding for a community warning system.

Town Chairman Jeff Butler said developing an ordinance would be brought to the town attorney. He added that actually developing the ordiance could take time and likely would be relatively expensive in relation to typical town laws. For example, he said a recent ordinance that was one page when completed cost $500 in legal fees. Morehouse’s draft as presented was over 20 pages.

“We have to have our attorney look at this,” Butler said. “He’s going to have to call in some expertise on this too.”

Some audience members expressed disappointment that Morehouse’s ordinance proposal — which she frequently said she did have the expertise to develop into a final document — didn’t outright ban a BESS, but set up standards that needed to be met.

Morehouse replied that an outright ban might not be enforceable.

Butler affirmed the Town Board’s opposition to the Robin proposal.

“We all work for you people,” Butler said. “We never wanted this thing.”

The other present elected officials were asked about their position on allowing BESS projects. “I would like you to continue pushing against this,” Morehouse said to the county and state elected officials.

Kerkman pointed out the county ordinance, passed while she was in office, is one of the most detailed such ordinances in Wisconsin and is being taken as a model elsewhere. Nevertheless she suggested it could be better.

“I want to enhance the ordinance,” Kerkman said of the county law.

Kerkman pointed out that writing such an ordiance is a balancing act between being strict but not too strict. She offered the example of sex offender residency ordinances in some Kenosha County municipalities that were legally challenged for being too strict.

The BESS opponents heard strong opposition from Decker, whose supervisory district includes Wheatland.

“I would have voted against it,” Decker said, “If it makes it back to us I will vote against it.”

Nedweski pledged to advocate for the Wheatland opponents in the legislature and in front of the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, if that becomes necessary.

“You have my support,” Nedweski said.

“Update regarding battery ordinance” is on Monday’s Wheatland Town Board meeting agenda.

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:

This is not some kind of post repeating glitch. The National Weather Service has in fact issued a dense fog advisory for Kenosha County for the third straight day.

This advisory is set to be in effect until 9 a.m., Friday.

Visibility of one quarter mile or less is possible in such conditions.

Friday also will be warm with a high of 62. We should see showers and possibly a thunderstorm.

High temps in the 60s and 50s are expected to continue through Tuesday.

Construction activity is believed to be the cause of fire in an apartment building on Bayview Avenue in Twin Lakes Thursday.

From the Twin Lakes Fire Department:

At approximately 1:53 p.m. on March 5, 2026 , Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue was dispatched to the 500 block of Bayview Avenue for the report of a porch fire.

At 1 :55 PM, the incident was upgraded, and ARA departments, Town of Randall Fire Department, Town of Wheatland Fire Department, and Richmond (IL) Fire Protection District, were dispatched for a reported crawl space fire beneath an apartment building.

Upon arrival, fire crews found a three-story apartment building with an active fire in the crawl space area. Firefighters quickly accessed the area and utilized a water can to extinguish the fire, bringing the incident under control in a short amount of time.

An investigation into the cause of the fire indicates it is believed to have started as a result of construction activity in the crawl space. No injuries were reported. The homeowners were not home at the time of the fire. All fire units were cleared and back in service at 2:51 PM

At this time, no additional information will be released. Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue would like to thank the Randall Fire Department, Wheatland Fire Department, and Richmond Fire Protection District, along with the Twin Lakes Police Department, Twin Lakes Dispatch, and Kenosha County Joint Services for their assistance on this incident.

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 about 1:54 p.m., Twin Lakes Fire and Rescue units and Twin Lakes Police Department officers are responding to a report of a possible fire in the 500 block of Bayview in Twin Lakes

Per dispatch: Large amount of smoke from basement reported.

UPDATE 1:58 p.m. — Town of Randall Fire Department and Wheatland Vol Fire Department dispatched to respond as mutual aid.

UPDATE 2:11 p.m. — TL command calls for all responding units to continue, but on a non-emergency basis

UPDATE — TLFD press release on this incident here.

Temperatures are going to increase a lot and stay in that neighborhood for a while, says the latest, local National Weather Service forecast.

The warm-up starts Friday, with a forecasted high of 68, an increase of 23 degrees from Thursday’s forecasted high. Friday also should be rainy, with showers likely Friday a.m. and then again overnight.

High temperatures are expected to stay in the 60s through Tuesday.

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:

Fire damage to a house on Matthew Avenue in Twin Lakes was limited to the kitchen during a Tuesday evening incident thanks to quick response by a Twin Lakes Police officer:

From the Twin Lakes Fire Department:

At approximately 1802 hours, the Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue, Town of Randall Fire Department, Richmond Illinois Fire Protection District, and Town of Wheatland Fire Department were dispatched to the 2000 block of Matthews Avenue for the report of a structure fire.

Upon arrival, fire crews were advised by law enforcement on scene that the fire originated in the kitchen area of the residence and had been extinguished prior to the fire department’s arrival using a portable fire extinguisher. Crews confirmed the fire was out and began ventilation and overhaul operations to ensure there was no extension into concealed spaces.

Two dogs were safely removed from the residence. Fire personnel assessed the structure and determined that fire damage was limited to the kitchen area, with smoke damage present throughout the two-story home.

No injuries were reported at the scene.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No further information will be released at this time.

This Facebook post from the Twin Lakes Police Department includes body cam footage of Officer Robinson extinguishing the fire:

At 1:55 p.m., Salem Lakes Fire/Rescue and Bristol Fire and Rescue units and sheriff’s deputies are responding to the 22400 block of Highway 50 in Salem Lakes for a report of a fire.

Per dispatch: Caller reporting possible brush fire.

UPDATE 2 p.m. — Location updated to 22400 block of Highway K.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m. — Fire unit on scene confirms brush fire.

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 least three municipalities continue to pursue creating a road consortium as a deadline for action on a state grant looms, the Twin Lakes Village Board learned Monday.

Salem Lakes, Paddock Lake and Twin Lakes have been discussing creating a road consortium that would allow the three villages to bid road projects together, perhaps drawing better pricing. Creating the consortium would also allow the municipalities to apply for a state Department of Revenue Innovation Grant that would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for each municipality over five years.

Twin Lakes village administrator Laura Jager said Monday that the three municipalities participated in a call with a Department of Revenue representative recently in which the consortium structure was discussed. It seemed like the structure would result in grant money for all participating municipalities, she said.

One remaining obstacle is the creation of an intergovernmental agreement governing the consortium relationship. Jager said the Salem Lakes village attorney is driving that process. An agreement would have to be approved before the grant application could be submitted by the March 31 deadline.

At about 6:05 p.m., Twin Lakes Fire Department, Town of Randall Fire Department, Wheatland Vol Fire Department units and Twin Lakes Police are responding to a report of a possible fire in the 2000 block of Matthew in Twin Lakes.

Per dispatch: Caller reported seeing fire.

UPDATE 6:10 p.m. — Police officer on scene reports fire appears to be out, but there is thick black smoke.

UPDATE — No people inside. Dogs inside were rescued.

A meeting on battery storage projects in Wheatland will be held Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. at Wheatland Center School.

Opponents of placing a battery storage project in Wheatland sought the meeting in order to discuss the issue outside of the regular Town Board meeting format.

The agenda posted for the meeting says there will be open discussion regarding such a proposal in Wheatland and possible action by the Wheatland Town Board “regarding batter storage matters.”

In January, three of four land use requests related to a proposed battery energy storage system project in Wheatland received unfavorable recommendations from the town Plan Commission. The company behind the proposal, Robin Energy Storage, then withdrew the project from further consideration before the Town Board could formally weigh-in.

Robin was proposing a battery energy storage system facility located on approximately 12 acres within an approximately 19-acre tract of land east of 392nd Avenue and north of Highway 50 in Wheatland. The site is especially apt, Robin representatives said, because it is adjacent to an existing electrical substation.

Robin had proposed to pay the town about $8 million over 20 years under a joint development agreement if the project won town approval and moved forward to completion.

Local opponents are concerned Robin will seek some other avenue to place the facility in Wheatland. They cite concerns about fire hazards and environmental harm related to possible accidents at such facilities.

The Salem Lakes Village Board is scheduled to meet Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. at Village Hall.

This meeting also will be livestreamed and available for later viewing here.

Agenda items are:

• Consideration of approval for Purchased Services: Sharing Center ($20,000) and Westosha Senior Center ($5,000)
• Ordinance 2026.03-117 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR THE VILLAGE OF SALEM LAKES. Kenosha County Fair Association Inc., PO Box 96, Wilmot, 0096 (Owner), Village of Salem Lakes, 9814 Antioch Road, Salem WI 53168 (Sponsor), requesting a rezoning from PR-1 (Park-Recreational District) & C-1 (Lowland Resource Conservancy District) to PR-1 (Park-Recreational District) & C-1 (Lowland Resource Conservancy District) on Tax Parcel #70-4-120-303-1261 located in the West 1/2 of Section 30, Township 1North, Range 20 East, Village of Salem Lakes.
• Ordinance 2026.03-118 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR THE VILLAGE OF SALEM LAKES. SMM Investments LLC, 4011 80th Street., Kenosha, WI 53142 (Owner), Daniel Szczap, 4011 80th Street, Kenosha, WI 53142 (Agent), requesting a rezoning from R-3 (Urban Single-Family Residential District) & R-4 (Urban Single-Family Residential District) to R-3 (Urban Single-Family Residential District), R-4 (Urban Single-Family Residential District) & PUD (Planned Unit Development Overlay District) on Tax Parcel 70-4-120-083-4214, 70-4-210-083-4212, 70-4-120-083-4210, 70-4-120-083-4255 & 70-4-120-083-4260 located in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 8, Township 1 North, Range 20 East, Village of Salem Lakes. For informational purposes only these Parcels are located on
  the west side of CTH ‘B’about 150 feet north of Lakeview Drive.
• Salvation Army, 9241 Camp Lake Road, Salem, WI 53168 (Owner), Scott Thomas, 9241 Camp Lake Road, Salem, WI 53168 (Agent), requesting to amend a previously approved Conditional Use Permit in the PR-1 (Park-Recreational District) on Tax Parcels #70-4-120-163-0700, 70-4-120-164-0820, 70-4-120-164-0801, 70-4-120-164-0831, 70-4-120-164-0811 & 70-4-120-163-0861, located in the South 1/2 of Section 16, Township 1 North, Range 20 East, Village of Salem Lakes. For informational purposes only this property is located primarily on the northside of 93rd Street east of Camp Lake Road (CTH ‘AH’).
• Addendum to the 2026 Law Enforcement Contract to include SRO positions
• Road Consortium Update – Administrator & Village Attorney
• Closed sessions for: Updates from legal counsel regarding the Schubat and Barhyte cases, concerning personnel issues in the Fire Department, negotiating a cellular lease agreement with Crown Castle Towers for Village property located at 123 N Northwater St., negotiating the fees and the extension or duration of the sewer service agreement, boundary agreement and water utility service agreement with the Village of Paddock Lake.

The full agenda and packet material 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 Twin Lakes Village Board is scheduled to hold a committee of the whole meeting Monday, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall.

Committee of the whole meetings are for discussion only. No formal action is taken at committee of the whole meetings. One exeption to this at Twin Lakes Village Board committee of the whole meetings is approval of the minutes of the previous committee of the whole meeting.

Agenda items include:

• Presentation from CLA on the Village’s financials.
• Discussion regarding 2027 Budget Timeline and Process.
• Discussion regarding Village Board Agenda Submission and Scheduling Policy.
• Discussion regarding a new roof at Public Works.
• Discussion regarding a multi-municipality Road Consortium.
• Discussion regarding the purchase of a drone for the Police Department
• Discussion regarding amending Section 2.32.040 of the Twin Lakes Code of Ordinances regarding
  meetings of the Board of Park Commissioners.
• Discussion regarding a draft outdoor lighting Ordinance.
• Discussion regarding the 2026 Sanitary Sewer lining project.

The full agenda and packet material 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: