The Hartford City Band performs this Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. at the Schauer Center, in Hartford.

It will be a special concert, celebrating the 145th anniversary of the Hartford City Band which coincides with the 250th anniversary of America, according to band member George Roemer.

"Our concert will focus on both anniversaries. It's called Echoes of Liberty and features all American composers."                                         

The Hartford American Legion Post will be presenting the colors prior to the concert. The colors will be retired after the concert.

Military Veterans will be honored. There are currently three Veterans that play in the Hartford City Band.

It’s free admission.

Hartford Union High School is proud to announce that art teacher Ms. Farrell Preston has been selected as a 2026 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellow. This prestigious recognition honors educators who demonstrate exceptional leadership, serve as agents of positive change, and inspire a love of learning among their students.
Ms. Preston was chosen from a competitive pool of candidates for her dedication to fostering creativity, supporting student growth, and making a meaningful impact both inside and outside the classroom. Her commitment to excellence in art education continues to enrich the school community and empower students to express themselves with confidence.
The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellowship recognizes educators across Wisconsin who inspire a lifelong love of learning and contribute to their schools and communities in meaningful ways.

HUHS is proud to celebrate Ms. Preston and her accomplishments.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has identified and taken a suspect into custody in connection with a hit-and-run crash that occurred on April 20, on Hillcrest Drive in the Town of West Bend.

Thursday night, April 23 around 7:30 p.m., deputies following up on potential vehicles and located a 2021 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado partially concealed in a driveway in the City of West Bend. The vehicle had damage consistent with the evidence recovered at the scene, along with deputies locating additional physical evidence indicators confirming it as the vehicle involved in the crash.

The driver, a 54-year-old City of West Bend man, was taken into custody without incident.

Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis stated, “This case demonstrates what can be accomplished through persistent investigative work and an engaged community. Our investigators did outstanding work in identifying the vehicle and locating the suspect. This case sends a clear message. Leaving the scene of a crash will not prevent you from being found. We will use every available resource to track you down and ensure you are held accountable for your actions.”

While the arrest was not the direct result of a citizen tip, all information provided by the public was thoroughly followed up on and helped keep this case in focus.

The suspect is currently being held at the Washington County Jail on charges related to hit-and-run causing injury. The case will be referred to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office for review.

The suspect's vehicle was towed to the sheriff’s office and is being held as evidence.

An update has become available from the Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary, of West Bend, regarding a lawsuit.  

They filed a motion for summary judgment in Washington County Circuit Court. In this motion, Shalom asked the court to dismiss a lawsuit against the Town of Farmington and Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Late last year through the legal process, the Town of Farmington amended its zoning code. The zoning code amendment makes it clear that they are allowed to operate as a zoo.

Shalom asked the court to dismiss this lawsuit once and for all.  

Monday, February 2 there was a hearing regarding counterclaims. 

The hearing was held on Monday, February 2 at the Washington County Courthouse with Judge Ryan Hetzel presiding. The motion was denied to dismiss the counterclaim. According to the Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary, this means the case will now proceed to discovery.

"There is still a very long road ahead in this case, but this was a positive first step," David and Lana Fechter said in an update. "We remain committed to stand up for our animals, our staff and the families and children who find joy at Shalom Zoo." 

Their next goal is to get the court to grant their motion for summary judgment to dismiss the initial lawsuit, which sought to invalidate their 2025 Conditional Use Permit. Now that the Town of Farmington has amended its zoning code to allow for zoological activities, their zoo operations are permitted. 

That motion was heard on Wednesday, April 22. The court's decision is expected to come at a later date.

The Career Readiness and Community Connections program is making a difference. It's a collaborative initiative between Hartford Union High School and the Hartford Rotary Club.

This program provides 12th-grade students with essential workplace skills through direct mentorship from local business professionals. The program is led by HUHS Associate Principal Desiree Rahmlow and Hartford Rotarian Ane Ohm. It covers a variety of areas including communication, critical thinking, and resume writing.

According to several Hartford Union High School seniors, this opportunity has engaged them in “learning about the speakers’ experiences in the workplace and using that to help ourselves be prepared when we enter the work force” and a “good opportunity to talk about scenarios you could find yourself in during your work career and how to handle them,” according to HUHS Director of Communications Laura Trapp.

To achieve the best impact for both students and the Hartford community, the program has at least twenty volunteers monthly. These mentors guide small-group sessions and more than 30 career professionals have offered their time during a school day at HUHS, meeting directly with students.  

The program is designed to meet the State of Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards while providing students with real-world insights.

Tractors and other implements of husbandry are allowed to operate on Wisconsin roadways, but are often large and slow-moving which can cause confusion for drivers sharing the roads.

“All motorists share the goal of returning home safe to their families,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Brad Olson in a news release. “During this time of year, it is important to take extra precautions and pay careful attention to increased hazards on rural roadways.”

Roadway crashes are a leading cause of injuries and death in agriculture. 

Clear communication between farmers and motorists is essential for safe left-hand turns. Farm equipment often has two flashing amber or yellow lights on the cab or fenders. When a farmer signals to turn, the light will continue to flash in the direction the farmer is turning. The other light will go solid. If the equipment lacks signals, hand signals should be used to indicate turns.

Proper lighting and signaling are especially important in low-visibility conditions.

Wisconsin State Patrol Inspector Kory Schultz says patience is key.

"Many motorists are on their way to work and will not have that patience, they see it as a roadblock that they didn't anticipate. As a farmer, you need to be responsible that you are going to be the defensive driver. There are protections when it comes to passing of implements."

Safety on the road begins by ensuring equipment meets lighting and marking regulations, in place since 2015. Ensure equipment has proper lighting, reflective extremity markings and SMV emblems for vehicles traveling under 25 mph. Extremity markings help motorists gauge width in low-light situations.

Regularly check the visibility of lights, reflective tape and SMV emblems, replacing faded or dirty items to ensure they remain clearly visible.

Equip all equipment operators with road safety training, plan routes to avoid high-risk areas and review local permit requirements before operating.

Farmers and motorists share the responsibility to ensuring roadway safety. 

The Washington County Farm Bureau Food Stand is a popular spot at the Washington County Fairgrounds every summer.

It's a busy stand and it's not uncommon for them to serve around 5,000 burgers and 3,200 orders of fries in a given week at the Washington County Fair.

Operating the food stand at the fair is the primary source of fundraising for the Washington County Farm Bureau. The food stand is over 25 years old and is in need of expansion and upgrades. A few contractors are lined up to do an addition on the stand.

They are looking to add on to the south end of their building. They will take the cooking hood and fryers that are in the main building right now and move it out to the addition. It will help to get some of the heat away from their volunteers.                                       

Donations are being accepted for this expansion and upgrade project for the Washington County Farm Bureau Food Stand, which costs $85,000. Due to the past successes, the board has allocated $40,000 for the project. The goal is to have funds raised and the improvements completed by this year’s Washington County Fair.

Donation forms are on the Washington County Farm Bureau Facebook page, or mail it out to:

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation

Washington County Farm Bureau Food Stand Fund

P.O. Box 5550

Madison, Wisconsin  53705 

Photo by WTKM's Tom Jeffery.

The Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management is providing updates on the flooding that has affected residents, as well as resources for assistance.

Officials are encouraging residents not to drink water from a private well that has been flooded. The water may be contaminated with bacteria and other contaminants. Please contact the Jefferson County Health Department with questions about well water testing kits.

Pre-filled sandbags are available at the Jefferson County Mountain Bike parking lot, near the Highway Shop. 

Flood cleanup kits are available by contacting the Jefferson County Emergency Management at 920-674-8674 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  

Flood damage reports can be made by calling 2-1-1 anytime, 24/7. This will assist officials in knowing where damage is occurring.

If you come into contact with floodwater or anything that has been in it, wash your hands thoroughly. 

Photo by the Jefferson County Emergency Management Department.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion and The United Vietnam Veterans present The Avenue of Flags located at Sawyer Park in Hartford - one block south of Hwy 60, where Main St meets Branch Street. 

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of Hartford had ten more sleeves installed at Sawyer Park for their Ave. of Flags. This brings the total to 110 Coffin Flags that are able to go on display on Holidays and special occasions. The Post allotted $2,200 for the additional sleeves and poles. All of the Flags are donated by the families of deceased Veterans. The Ave. of Flags was moved to the Park in 2015. Since then, VFW Post 8834 has invested $25,000 in the project. That includes embroidering the names of the Veterans, a storage shed, and a new swing set.

You can view the Avenue of Flags on the following dates:

Set up is 7:30, unless noted. Take down is determined by the weather!

Friday, May 15th - Peace Officer’s Memorial Day (Possibly keep up overnight with
lights)
Saturday, May 16th - Armed Force Day; the Classic Car Show & Block Party
Monday, May 25th - Memorial Day; 10:00am Parade, 10:30 am Program
Sunday, June 14th - Flag Day
Saturday, July 4th - Independence Day; Hospitality Tent for Parade
Friday, Sept 11th - Patriot’s Day; 9-11
Friday, Sept 18th - POW/MIA Day
Wednesday, Nov 11th - Veterans Day; Rifle Salute at 11:00am
Saturday, Nov 14th - Christmas Parade; Hospitality Tent for Parade

Contact Ron Schnorenberg to suggest additional dates, questions, volunteering
ronschnornorenberg@gmail.com 414-416-9118 or messages at 262-673-2721

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8834 meets every third Tuesdays at the Hartford Town Hall Eat-6:00pm, Meeting-7:00pm

“Office Hours” are held every second Tuesdays at The Red Moon
Stop in, anytime between 6:00pm and 8:30pm

Watertown's Rock River is still above normal levels, as of Wednesday, April 22. Residents are encouraged to use caution on or near the water according to the City of Watertown.

The Rock River is expected to crest in the moderate flood stage by Thursday, April 23.

City officials are monitoring river levels and dam operations, according to Watertown Mayor Robert Stocks.

"Watertown and surrounding areas experienced a significant rainfall event. We are closely monitoring river elevations on the Rock River."

City crews have been actively responding to cleanup operations, including debris removal and assessment of impacted infrastructure.

Riverside Park is closed at the time of this writing.

Sandbags are available at the Watertown Street Department, located at 811 S. First Street during normal business hours, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to return on Thursday, April 23 with a high temperature of 81 degrees.

Weatherology Lead Forecaster Paul Trambley told WTKM that a cold front is expected from the west.

"This happens late Thursday night. Showers and storms are expected back in the area, after the active week we saw with multiple episodes of severe weather. Showers and storms are also possible on Friday."

Friday, April 24 comes with a high of 72 degrees with some sunshine in the mix.

This weekend, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 will have a lot of sunshine and high temperatures around 63 degrees with an expected low of 43 degrees on Saturday night. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash that occurred on April 20, at 8:30 p.m. on Hillcrest Drive in the Town of West Bend.

The suspect’s vehicle was traveling eastbound on Hillcrest Drive, when it struck a pedestrian and a dog. The driver failed to stop and continued eastbound from the scene. The pedestrian sustained minor injuries but was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The dog died at the scene.

Based on evidence collected at the scene, the suspect vehicle is believed to be a silver or gray 2019–2022 Chevrolet 1500 or 2500 pickup truck.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources encourages private well owners to consider testing their drinking water after significant rainfall and flooding. Heavy rain can impact drinking water quality.

Flood waters and runoff contain bacteria and other contaminants that can affect private water supplies and cause the spread of waterborne illness. Wells located in pits, basements and low-lying areas are especially susceptible to contamination. 

Well owners who experience flooding or observe changes to the taste, color or sediment levels in their water following heavy rainfall should assume their well is contaminated and stop drinking the water and disinfect your well.

Germantown police officers responded to an incident which involved four kids standing outside of an apartment complex, with what was described as “AR style” black guns, all wearing dark clothing, and one individual had a ski mask on. Due to the fog and darkness at the time, responding officers were only able to see a silhouette of the individual and what appeared to be a rifle. It was determined that it was a Nerf Gun.

The Germantown Police Department takes these, and all calls very seriously. Thankfully, no one was injured during this event on Thursday, April 16 at 9:30 p.m.

This activity is known as Germantown High School Paranoia 2026, or Nerf Gun Wars. This is not associated with the Germantown School District; however, the students do attend Germantown High School. This is an event that happens every year, and every year the Germantown Police Department receive calls from residents. 

The Germantown Police Department will begin to issue citations to students if this type of activity continues. 

The Germantown Police Department urge parents and students to refrain from this type of activity during evening hours. 

The Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates will present a community event on Tuesday, April 21 at St. Kilian Parish and School, in Hartford. It will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Social Media Safety for Families is open to parents and their children ages 11 and up. Parental discretion is advised. One of the main topics include how to prevent a traumatic online experience.

Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates' co-founder Wendy Smith told WTKM that learning about this sensitive topic will help in case something unfortunate happens.

"It helps everyone be prepared. Our kids need to know that if something happens, their parents are there for them and it's so important to communicate. There are so many resources out there to help. If they have made mistakes online, that does not give perpetrators the right to exploit a kid."

Trending scams will be discussed during this free event and there is no registration needed.

St. Kilian Parish and School is located at 245 High Street, in Hartford.

The Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates are a 501c3 nonprofit organization that offers education, advocacy and resources to the community.   

Future Farmers of America members at Hartford Union High School continue to make a difference by promoting agriculture and representing their chapter with class. The advisors are a big reason why there is so much enthusiasm around FFA. 

June Strupp's passion in Agricultural Sciences at Hartford Union High School and her love for the FFA is evident. Just ask her.

"It's been wonderful, I do have a lot of love for it. There is so much to learn."

For 11 years at Hartford Union High School, Strupp has proudly served and passed that passion along to many students.

"The FFA is what has kept me teaching this long. I love the kids, I love the activities and to see their growth from their freshman year to their senior year is just amazing."

June also worked in the Horicon School District for 20 years and has enjoyed her time in Hartford as she prepares to retire at the end of the school year. 

All the best in retirement and congratulations to June Strupp. She will be missed.

Photo by the Hartford FFA.      

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation safety and pavement improvement project for the interchange at Highway 60 and I-41 is scheduled to begin the week of April 20 in Slinger.

A $6.8 million safety improvement project was approved by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers at the I-41 and Highway 60 interchange in Washington County.

The planned improvements include:

- Reconstructing the Highway 60 on-ramp to I-41 southbound to address merging conflicts.

- Widen and realign the right turn lanes at the I-41 southbound off-ramp to improve visibility.

- Addition of traffic signals at the southbound ramp terminal and extension of the westbound Highway 60 left turn lane.

- Partial deck removal

- Pavement resurfacing, new pavement markings and signage.

This project will require a combination of long-term and overnight closures along Highway 60 and the on and off-ramps to and from I-41. Detours will be posted. Single lane closures on I-41 will be limited to off-peak hours for bridge improvements.

Access to local businesses and residences will be maintained.

Work is scheduled for completion this fall.

During a recent maintenance inspection in the City of Hartford, their line crew discovered a power pole on Independence Avenue with several woodpecker holes on an important feeder circuit exiting their Dodge Substation. Because the damage compromised the integrity of the pole, the crew scheduled an immediate replacement.

Thanks to the redundancies built into our system, customers did not experience any outages during the replacement. The City of Hartford's crews are trained and equipped to work on energized powerlines up to 25,000 volts when necessary. However, in this case, they were able to switch and isolate the section of the powerline, allowing the line crew to complete the work under much safer conditions.

Their work behind the scenes, combined with their commitment to safety and proactive inspections, helps prevent outages before they occur and keeps our system running reliably.

Photo by the City of Hartford.

Erin School received some good news at the polls, during the April 7 Spring Election.

The Erin School referendum passed with 642 yes votes, or 55 percent to 527 no votes, or 45 percent. 

Erin School District Administrator Joannie Kalina told WTKM that a lot of thought went into to it before election day.

"Erin School was one of four districts in the state of Wisconsin that has in the last thirty years has never asked their taxpayers for a referendum. Our board thought very long and hard about this. We conducted a community survey. We studied this for a couple of years. We know asking people to use their tax dollars toward school is a big ask. We really need a boost in our capital projects, this is an older building so we needed a capital referendum."                                           

Three areas will be addressed, including safety and security, renovation and system updates, according to Kalina.

"We have some parking lot repairs and traffic flow issues. We need to do a parking lot project, that is our first and main priority. We want to change one existing space into a classroom."                                           

They are also planning on changing the footprint of their front office to incorporate a few safety features. System upgrades are also included for Erin School. 

Photo by Erin Schools.

A successful fundraiser will go toward the replacement of American Flags, located along Marietta Avenue and North Street in downtown Ixonia. The current flags have become faded and tattered over time.

The fundraiser was presented by the Edwin L. Jones American Legion Post 91 in Oconomowoc and they have reached their goal. Jerry Wendt is a past commander and told WTKM that it's time for the replacement.

"In Ixonia, they put up American Flags on all of the patriotic holidays. We are looking to buy new flags, made in the United States. And it will be on a strong, sturdy mount so the flags will never touch the ground and poles with a tube that runs with it, so the flags fly properly. We don't want the flags to get wrapped up."                                                

They have reached their goal of $5,000.

The Legion Post 91 of Oconomowoc is planning on having the American Flags installed by Memorial Day, which is Monday, May 25.

The National Weather Service reported multiple tornadoes that touched down in Wisconsin on Tuesday, April 14.

One of those tornadoes, which was designated as an EF0, was active in Dodge County.

"It happened around a mile from my house," said Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt. "It ended up hitting a home and took off the garage. There were a lot of trees down."

The EF0 tornado hit just south of Beaver Dam with winds of 85 mph.

Another EF0 tornado touched down in Rochester, located in Racine County.

An EF2 tornado with winds around 120 mph touched down in Lisbon, near Sussex and lasted for six minutes and just over three miles.

Three EF1 tornadoes were reported, including Marquette County and Walworth County, along with Kenosha County with wind speeds of 105 mph.

An EF3 tornado touched down in Juneau County Tuesday night, April 14 with winds around 140 mph.

A tornado was also reported in Grant County.      

Partly sunny skies with a high temperature of 74 degrees could lead to strong thunderstorms on Friday, April 17.

Weatherology Lead Forecaster Paul Trambley told WTKM what's expected.

"We will see a trough of low pressure and a strong cold front associated with it, heading east into our area by tonight, on Friday. Scattered, strong and possibly severe storms will build across central and eastern Wisconsin.  Heavy showers and storms are possible. Gusty straight-line winds are possible with pockets of hail. Tornadoes cannot be ruled out."

Saturday, April 18 expect sunny skies and a high temperature of 45 degrees. A low of 30 degrees is expected into Sunday, April 19 where sunny skies will come through with a high temperature of 45 degrees.

Sunny skies continue into Monday, April 20 with a high of 53 degrees.    

The City of Watertown has experienced heavy rainfall.

There is standing water in streets, yards, and other low-lying areas.

Local waterways, including the Rock River and its creeks and streams, have risen above normal levels and are currently experiencing flooding conditions. A High Water No Wake condition is in effect throughout the City. Residents and visitors are advised to use extreme caution on or near the water.

City officials are monitoring river levels and dam operations, according to Watertown Mayor Robert Stocks, who talked with WTKM.

"A significant rainfall event overwhelmed our storm water system. Flooding is an issue, the Rock River and the street flooding with local creeks and streams have reached flood stage. We are closely monitoring river elevations and we will continue to do so. Our police, fire department and street division responded quickly by placing barricades and closing flooded roads."

Several streets and low-lying areas have experienced temporary flooding. Motorists are reminded not to drive through standing water and to observe all posted barricades and road closures.

City crews have been actively responding to the storm events and have begun cleanup operations, including debris removal and assessment of impacted infrastructure. These efforts will continue over the coming days as water levels recede.

Residents who are concerned about potential flooding impacts to their property may obtain sandbags at the Street Department, located at 811 S. First Street, during normal business hours, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Residents are asked to check in at the front desk prior to pickup. Outside of business hours, sandbags will be available at the Street Department on S. Second Street near Clyman Street.

There is more information regarding a house fire on Wednesday night, April 15 around 10:12 p.m. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a fire at a single- family residence in the 3700 block of Division Road, in the Town of Jackson.

Deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene along with the Jackson Fire Department. The Jackson Fire Department was assisted by the Germantown, Newburg, Slinger, West Bend, St. Lawrence, Richfield, Fillmore, Kewaskum, Allenton, and Lifestar Ambulance.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud boom in the area. They later observed smoke and flames from the residence. A neighbor responded with a fire extinguisher and was able to get some of the fire out.

The fire had already spread through the interior of the home. The residence was empty at the time.

The fire was started by a lightning strike. Initial estimate to the residence and vehicle was $335,000.

Highway 60 was closed for two and a half hours and Division Road was closed for three and a half hours.

The National weather Service Storm Survey confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down Tuesday night, April 14 in the Village of Lisbon, north of the Village of Sussex. Maximum winds were 120 mph with a path length of just over three miles, lasting six minutes.

Waukesha County Emergency Management reported severe storms Tuesday night. The confirmed tornado caused damage to homes and businesses.

Waukesha County Emergency Management encourages residents to stay away from downed power lines, use caution around damaged buildings and avoid driving through flooded roads.

Emergency crews continue to assess the damage with local, state and nonprofit representatives.