It's the first snowfall of the season.

The first snow of the season usually falls during the last week of October or the first week of November.

The average date of the first measureable snowfall ranges from mid to late October across far north-central Wisconsin to mid to late November.

On Tuesday, October 31 the snow flurries flying in the air may have provided a bit of a scare on Halloween.

Weatherology Chief Meteorologist Paul Trambley told WTKM News about the first snowfall.

"An Alberta Clipper, a fast moving low pressure system, will continue to bring snow shower activity across the area today (Oct. 31) with a slushy coating upwards of two inches. This clipper system moves off to the southeast tonight, and we'll see a gradual warming trend later in the week."

Sunny skies with a high of 45 degrees for Thursday, November 2 and a high of 48 degrees is expected for Friday, November 3.        

City of Hartford departments continue to make safety a priority.   

Crews from Hartford Electric and Hartford Public Works recently took a massive tree down that was hanging over Highway 60, heading east. The Hartford Police Department also assisted.

Alley repairs started during the month of October. While road reconstruction is addressed every year in many different facets, alleys are sometimes forgotten. 

This summer, the Hartford Common Council was asked to address some of these alleys which are beginning to show disrepair. The first alley project was completed recently between Pleasant and McKinley. More alley repairs are scheduled to be addressed next year in the 2024 budget, in the city of Hartford.

A Washington County Sheriff's deputy on routine patrol stopped a vehicle on I-41 near State Highway 144, on the morning of October 30 around 1:51 a.m. for no license plates. Upon approach, the deputy detected the overwhelming odor of marijuana from the vehicle and observed open intoxicants in plain view.

A search, based upon probable cause, was conducted and the deputies located nine grams of marijuana, three grams of crack cocaine and over 50 un-prescribed Xanax pills. While being questioned about the contraband, the driver, a 37-year-old Milwaukee man, grabbed the contraband and began to flee on foot while attempting to destroy the evidence. The driver was brought to the ground and Tased while continuing to resist after a brief foot chase. The passenger, a 33-year-old Milwaukee female, was also taken into custody.

Both individuals are held on drug charges that include possession of THC, possession of cocaine, and possession with intent to deliver Xanax. The driver also will face charges for resisting arrest and a Probation and Parole hold.

This is but just one example of how your deputies are first-line criminal investigators and the dangers they face as a matter of “routine”. I am appreciative of all law enforcement’s dedication to protecting our community while most of us lay asleep at night.

There is more information regarding a fatal accident on October 25, 2023 at approximately 2:47 a.m. The Fond Du Lac County and Dodge County dispatch centers began taking 911 calls in reference to a white box truck traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic on U.S. Highway 151 near State Highway 49, in the Town of Chester, in Dodge County. A short time later, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office dispatch center was advised the box truck had crashed into another vehicle.

Law enforcement arrived on the scene and the initial investigation shows that the international box truck was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic on U.S. Highway 151 and it collided head-on with a northbound Kia passenger car. A Chevrolet passenger car was also traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 151 and it subsequently struck the Kia passenger car.

The driver of the Kia, a 25-year-old male, was identified as Danis L. Vargas Alvarenga. The passenger of the Kia, a 28-year-old female, was identified as Yorling J. Gonzalez Gutierrez. The other two passengers of the Kia are still hospitalized at this time.

There were a total of four occupants in the Kia. The driver, a 25 year old male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger, a 28 year old female was also pronounced deceased on scene. The two other passengers in the Kia were transported via ambulance to hospitals for their injuries.

There were a total of three occupants in the Chevrolet. All three of them were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver (lone occupant) of the International box truck was identified as a 69 year old male from the State of Pennsylvania.

Assisting in the crash was Waupun Police Department, Fond Du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Waupun Fire Department, Lifestar Ambulance, Beaver Dam EMS, Dodge County Highway Department and the Dodge County Emergency Response Team.

This crash remains under investigation by the Dodge County Crash Investigation Team. The northbound lanes of US Highway 151 in this area remain closed at this time. Names are being withheld pending family notification.

Questions may be directed to Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt

Reconstruction of the roadway at County Trunk Highway M (Wasaukee Road) from and including paving at the intersection at Freistadt Road to 1.5 miles north on the border of Washington County, Ozaukee County, Village of Germantown and City of Mequon is complete and the road is now open to traffic.

Some landscaping and detour removal work will continue in the coming weeks under flagging conditions. Please reduce your speeds and give our contractors plenty of space to complete their work.

Washington County would like to thank Ozaukee County, the Village of Germantown, and the City of Mequon for their collaboration to make this project a success and an improvement to safety for the traveling public.

Washington County would like to recognize Vinton Construction, their subcontractors, and Washington County Project Engineer Brad Abraham for their hard work to complete the project.

The project was funded fully by Washington County.

On Friday, October 27 at approximately 4:21a.m., the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of State Highway 33 and Hilltop Dr. in the Town of Addison for a report of a semi-tractor trailer engulfed in flames. The uninvolved caller advised the trailer portion was engulfed in flames and that the uninjured semi tractor operator was disconnected from the trailer.

Upon the deputies’ arrival, the trailer was located disconnected and sitting in the westbound traffic lane of STH 33 at Hilltop Drive. Allenton Firefighters responded and extinguished the flames. The investigation found that a trailer tire had gone flat, causing excessive heat. That heat caused the industrial size rolls of paper inside the trailer to catch fire. As a result of the fire, the trailer was a total loss as well as significant damage to the multiple rolls of paper.

To assist with fire operations and removal of property, STH 33 was closed from State Highway 175 to County Highway W for approximately five hours.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office released information regarding an armed home invasion that occurred in Richfield. 

Case: Richfield Home Invasion Arrests

Authority: Lieutenant of Detectives Tim Kemps

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Investigators arrested four suspects in connection with the October 17 armed home invasion in the Village of Richfield on Friday, October 27. The first two were taken into custody during a search warrant with the assistance of the Milwaukee Police Department Tactical Enforcement Unit early Friday morning. The other two suspects were arrested later the same day with help from the Milwaukee Police Special Investigations Division and the Wauwatosa Police Department. The names of the suspects are not being released at this time as they have not been formally charged. The two suspected of entering the residence armed with loaded firearms are 18- and 19-year-old men from the City of Milwaukee. Two women, both age 18, were arrested for party to a crime for their involvement in the invasions.

Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis promised at the time of the crime that all available resources would be diverted to this investigation. “Since the incident, two investigators have been working diligently full-time to help bring a sense of security and normalcy back to this community. Their investigation was supplemented by our entire investigative team, and it is because of the work they did we are where we are today. This level of violence and violation of this community’s sense of security cannot and will not be tolerated. To have all suspects in custody is a true testament to our investigators’ dedication to our community and the fulfillment of our agency’s mission statement. My hope is these arrests provide a degree of comfort to our residents and deter other criminal elements from thinking Washington County residents are easy targets.”

The investigative break in this case came from a couple of different sources. A neighborhood canvass revealed images from doorbell cameras of the suspect vehicle as well as one of the suspects. Those images allowed investigators to search Flock Safety cameras in the area and locate higher definition imagery of the suspect vehicle. From there the investigation progressed quickly and ultimately led to the search warrant early this morning.

Sheriff Schulteis went onto say, “The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is appreciative of all the support that we received from public safety partners and neighbors which allowed the safe capture of all four less than two weeks after the incident.” All the suspects remain in custody at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and will appear in court on Monday.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office released a recent Rut Report.

It’s that time of year that the Wisconsin white-tailed deer are coming into their mating season, which is also known as the “rut.” The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has always had the inside scoop on when the rut is in full effect, due to the amount of car-deer accidents deputies respond to.

The Dodge County Sheriff's Office believes it would only be fair to share this information with the public so you can pay extra close attention while driving, to keep a lookout for deer.

They also want to keep the hunters aware of days that might be a good time to be in those deer stands. Over this year’s rut season, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office will provide the number of car-deer accidents that occurred over the last 24-hour period. Last year’s highest day of car-deer accidents was on November 14, with reports of 11 car-deer accidents.

They will give you a rating system of one to five stars that will give you an idea of what days they are seeing the most deer movement. The Dodge County Sheriff's Office will post this daily at 10:00 a.m. over the next couple of weeks.

In the last 24 hours, they have had four car-deer accidents. Today’s deer movement rating is a 2 out of 5 stars.

The Hartford Farmer's Market will be open on Saturday, October 28 from 8 a.m. to noon at the south end of the Rec Center parking lot, in the city of Hartford.

It will be the final event of the season.

A wide variety was offered again this year, with seasonal fruits and vegetables, flowers, bakery items, organic eggs, beef and chicken. Creative arts and crafts items were also featured.

The Saturday morning event started on May 20.

If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce at 262-673-7002 or info@hartfordchamber.org.

Saturday, October 28 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

The goal of the day is to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.   

A Drug Take Back Day event will be held at the Jackson Police Department on Saturday, October 28 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Look for the tent on the west side of the Police Department garage. All you have to do is pull up and an officer will come to your car to assist you.

You do not need to be a Village of Jackson resident in order to drop off medications. 

You are encouraged to bring prescription and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, non-aerosol sprays, inhalers, creams, vials and pet medication. 

In the spirit of Halloween, trick-or-treat dates and times were announced.

Saturday, October 28

Downtown Hartford  1 to 2:30 p.m.

Village of Slinger  5 to 7 p.m.

City of West Bend  4 to 6 p.m.

Richfield  3 to 6 p.m.

Village of Kewaskum  5 to 7 p.m.

Campbellsport  2 to 4 p.m.

Horicon  4 to 7 p.m.

Village of Newburg  5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Ashippun  6 to 8 p.m.

City of Watertown  4 to 7 p.m.

City of Oconomowoc  6 to 8 p.m.

Sunday, October 29

City of Hartford  4 to 6 p.m.

Village of Jackson  5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Addison  3 to 6 p.m.

Hustisford  2 to 4 p.m.

Lomira  3 to 5 p.m.

Rubicon  3 to 5 p.m.

It’s the final weekend for Hartford’s spooky haunted house.

Terror on Rural Street is open tonight, October 27 and Saturday night, October 28 will feature something special.

"It's called Black Out Night," according to Dick Feutz. "You navigate the terror with only the light from a glow stick. It really has become our most popular night every year."                                         

Feutz is a member of the Hartford Community Service, who organize this scary attraction every year as they wind down their 25^th season.

All of the funds raised go back into the community.

Terror on Rural Street is located at 147 N. Rural Street in the city of Hartford.

Around 35 costumed actors volunteer for the haunted house and create a unique atmosphere.

Ticket sales run from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m.

The Hartford Police Department released more information regarding winter parking rules in the City of Hartford.

Every Year, the City fields calls from residents regarding the unavailability of overnight parking on City streets during the winter months of December through March. The number of complaints or calls grows as more residents want parking for more vehicles. In response to those complaints, staff examined the current winter parking ordinances and presented several solutions to the issues to the Public Works Committee and the Common Council. The Common Council voted to create a resolution to change the winter parking regulations to opening up additional options in public lots and allowing permitted alternate side parking only on streets that are wide enough to accommodate a plow.

The ordinance now allows for the purchase of winter parking permits at the Hartford Police Department, by those vehicle owners who don’t have enough parking for vehicles in their garage or driveway. The new permit allows parking on the street, December 1st to March 31st, from 3am to 6am, on alternating sides of the street. The permitted vehicle shall be parked on the even numbered side of the street on those nights which at 3am bear an even calendar date and on the odd numbered side of the street on those nights which at 3am bear an odd calendar date. Permits may be transferred by the permit holder from one vehicle to another within the same household. This permit does not allow street parking during a declared snow emergency.

Parking more vehicles on the streets during the winter months poses additional issues for the Department of Public Works staff who are tasked with clearing the streets of accumulated snow and ice. It takes additional hours, gas, and salt to clear snow and ice from the streets where permitted vehicles were parked following a snowfall. As a result of this additional work, the Common Council determined it necessary to charge a permit fee to offset the additional costs of snow removal incurred by allowing overnight parking on City streets during winter months. The cost of each new permit is $120.00 for the season and can be applied for and purchased from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Hartford Police Department.

The permit issued is for one season and shall be hung from the rearview mirror of the vehicle unless such placement is not possible due to the design of the vehicle. The permit shall be placed in the vehicle so that it is visible to people outside of the vehicle.

In addition to the new permits, the City may designate municipally owned parking lots which may be used as overnight winter parking. Vehicles may be parked in designated lots without permits for a period not to exceed 24 hours and in compliance with all other requirements of the Municipal Code. Designating a lot for overnight parking shall not supersede other parking restrictions imposed on the designated lot. A map of these designated lots, along with the winter parking ordinance will be posted on the City of Hartford website.

Press Release - Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident

Sheriff Paul Milbrath reports that on October 24, 2023 the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to two separate crashes that both resulted in fatalities. Both of the crashes only had one occupant in the vehicle.

The first crash happened in the Town of Farmington at 8:53 p.m. A vehicle was traveling eastbound on Resort Dr at a high rate of speed, and failed to stop at the stop sign on Resort Dr at CTH Y. The vehicle proceeded to cross over CTH Y and struck a structure, an unattended vehicle, and a tree. The occupant was transported to a local hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. There were no individuals outside where the crash occurred on the property. Johnson Creek Pd, Fire, and EMS assisted at the scene.

The second crash happened in the Town of Waterloo at 10:18 p.m. A vehicle was traveling southbound on Younker Ln at a high rate of speed, and failed to negotiate a curve where Younker Ln meets with Peschel Rd. The vehicle struck a tree and became fully engulfed. The occupant was pronounced dead at the scene. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist our agency in the investigation, due to our earlier fatality utilizing several of our resources. Waterloo Fire and EMS also assisted on scene.

The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted at both scenes.

On Wednesday, October 25 at approximately 2:47 a.m. the Fond Du Lac County and Dodge County dispatch centers began taking 911 calls in reference to a white box truck traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic on US Highway 151 near State Highway 49, in the Town of Chester, Dodge County Wisconsin. A short time later our dispatch center was advised the box truck had crashed into another vehicle.

Law enforcement arrived on scene and initial investigation shows that the International box truck was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic on US Highway 151 and it collided head-on with a northbound Kia passenger car. A Chevrolet passenger car was also traveling northbound on US Highway 151 and it subsequently struck the Kia passenger car.

There were a total of 4 occupants in the Kia. The driver, a 25 year old male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger, a 28 year old female was also pronounced deceased on scene. The two other passengers in the Kia were transported via ambulance to hospitals for their injuries.

There were a total of 3 occupants in the Chevrolet. All three of them were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver (lone occupant) of the International box truck was identified as a 69 year old male from the State of Pennsylvania.

Assisting in the crash was Waupun Police Department, Fond Du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Waupun Fire Department, Lifestar Ambulance, Beaver Dam EMS, Dodge County Highway Department and the Dodge County Emergency Response Team.

This crash remains under investigation by the Dodge County Crash Investigation Team. The northbound lanes of US Highway 151 in this area remain closed at this time. Names are being withheld pending family notification.

Questions may be directed to Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt

Hartford Common Council met Tuesday night, October 24.

An Ordinance was up for discussion, regarding BID parking in the Mill Street lot in the city of Hartford. Hartford City Administrator Steve Volkert addressed the council.  

"So at the last council meeting, you approved the concept that changed the Ordinance without the exact wording. You are reviewing the exact wording tonight, with the changed Ordinance which would allow the Hartford Business Improvement District to issue their permits to not only parts of the Jefferson Street parking lot, but also the Mill Street parking lot." 

It was unanimously approved.

Another Ordinance was presented, regarding the winter parking regulations. Hartford Common Council recommended changing the Ordinance, which would allow for some free public parking in select sites throughout the city. It would also allow for paid permits to park on certain sides of the street starting on December 1, 2023.   

It was also approved unanimously by the Hartford Common Council.

The City Administrator’s Report included consideration of amendments to the draft of next year’s City of Hartford Operation and Utility Budgets, in order to publish. Volkert informed council members of the status with the tax rate.

"This balanced budget fits under the state allowed levy limit of 2.94 percent. It holds down taxes to the exact same tax rate as last year."   

Last night’s meeting was adjourned after the unanimous approval by the common council.

There is more information regarding an incident at Kennedy Middle School, in Germantown.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the officer involved critical incident that occurred last Monday night, around 6:36.

Germantown Police responded to a report of a person acting erratically in the parking lot of the school. It turns out that the male subject in question did not have any known relationship to the community or school and drove a vehicle with out-of-state plates. His vehicle broke down and was located at a nearby vehicle repair business.

It was reported that the subject acted erratically at the business and then left, and walked to Kennedy Middle School. He tried to enter the school, but the doors were locked.

Police officers arrived, and followed the subject onto the roof of the school. While on the roof, the subject discharged a firearm in the direction of the officers. And the officers returned fire. A third officer also discharged a firearm.

The subject suffered injuries and died at the scene.

There were no other injuries, and the entire incident occurred outside of Kennedy Middle School, in Germantown.

It is believed to be an isolated incident.      

A ceremony is scheduled for Friday, November 10 at 11 a.m. at Newburg Union Cemetery.

It's a chance to remember our Civil War Veterans.

It's an effort to ensure that they are not forgotten. The goal is to place a monument at each of the cemeteries where Civil War Veterans are buried. 

Many of the headstones or grave markers are deteriorating, or are no longer legible. 

A short dedication ceremony is planned, which will include the Color Guard, 21-gun salute and music by the St. John's Lutheran Church and School. 

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Join us in remembering the service of Ezra Warren, John Heiser, John McDonald, Johann Milkee, Robert Salter, Joseph Schaub, Daniel Steuerwald and Henry Trautsch.      

There will be no school for the Germantown School District on Tuesday, October 24.

Germantown High School coaches and advisors will reach out to their teams regarding practices and games; off-campus post-season competitions will continue. 

The Germantown School District continues to work closely with the Germantown Police Department concerning the incident at Kennedy Middle School. All students, families, and staff that were in the building are safe, accounted for, and have been reunited with their families and loved ones. 

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating an officer involved critical incident in the Village of Germantown. 

The incident occurred Monday evening, October 23 at 6:36 p.m.

Germantown Police responded to a report of a person that was acting erratically in the parking lot of Kennedy Middle School. The subject climbed onto the roof of the school while being chased by two officers. The subject then discharged a firearm in the direction of the officers while on the roof, and they returned fire. A third officer also discharged a firearm. 

The subject in question sustained injuries, first aid was rendered but the subject died at the scene.

No other members of the public or law enforcement were injured.

This is believed to be an isolated incident, and there is no danger to the public.

50 to 70 students were inside Kennedy Middle School at the time of the incident. 

The entire incident occurred outside of the building.

All of the officers involved are cooperating with the DCI during the investigation.      

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office will once again be participating in a statewide Prescription Drug Take Back Event on Saturday, October 28. Please bring your unwanted, unneeded, or expired medications to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and dispose of them in the drug drop box in the lower level of the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office asks that you remove all solid, non-liquid medications from their container and dispose of them in a clear sealable plastic bag. Blister packages are acceptable as well. Liquids, creams, and sprays must be in their original packaging.

Help them to keep our community safe by disposing of these medications in a way that will keep them out of the hands of those they are not intended for and is safe for the environment and yet convenient for everyone. Remember that the abuse of prescription medication is dangerous and many times leads to other more serious addictions such as heroin addiction. As always, there is no fee to dispose of your medications.

While this event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as we are focusing on the safe disposal of medications, please remember that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office drop box is always available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

Additional law enforcement agencies in and around Dodge County that have drug drop boxes include police departments in Beaver Dam, Columbus, Horicon, Juneau, Lomira, Mayville, Watertown, and Waupun.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt.

There is more information regarding a fire from September, in Watertown.

Watertown Fire Department

Commercial Structure Fire: Loss estimated at $125,000

On September 29, 2023, at approximate 2:12 P.M. the Watertown Fire Department responded to a report of a commercial fire at 1220 American Way., Watertown, WI. Crews from the fire department arrived and found smoke coming from an open garage door. An employee had used a fire extinguisher, this helped to control the spread of the fire until the fire department arrived. Firefighters used a hose line to extinguish the remaining fire and fans to ventilate smoke from the building. Crews were on scene for about two hours. There was one reported injury, and that person was transported to the hospital for evaluation.

The investigation revealed that the fire originated from hot embers after the use of machinery. Loss estimates are $125,000 for the building, equipment, and other content.

The Watertown Fire Department was assisted by Waterloo, CLR, Ixonia, Lebanon, and Johnson Creek Fire Department’s, Jefferson and Horicon EMS, WE Energies, Watertown Police Department, Watertown and Jefferson Dispatch Centers. Lake Mills Fire Department provided an engine and Western Lakes provided an ambulance for change of quarters to provide coverage for any other calls of service in the city.

The Watertown Fire Department urges everyone to learn how to use a fire extinguisher to help prevent the spread of the fire. You may contact the Watertown Fire Department to set up fire extinguisher training opportunities.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office released an update regarding an 80-year-old man who was reported missing on October 18, 2023. 

Date: 10/23/2023

Case: Update: Boating Incident – Pike Lake 23-36714

Authority: Lt. Jason Guslick

On Sunday, October 22, 2023, shortly before 2:00 p.m. the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen who was boating on Pike Lake, and advised they believed they located the lost boater from Wednesday’s incident submerged underwater. 

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the scene along with Sheriff’s Office members of the Washington County Dive Rescue team.   The subject was located a short distance offshore in approximately 6ft of water between the beach area and boat ramp at Pike Lake State Park. 

Sheriff’s Office Divers recovered the deceased subject and were assisted on shore by Hartford Fire/Rescue and the Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office.  The subject was positively identified as the 80-year-old male that had gone missing on October 18. 

No further information is available currently and this incident remains under investigation.

The Hartford Fire and Rescue Department recently expressed their gratitude and appreciation to a member of the team, who prepares for a well-deserved retirement.

Dear Lt. Shari Pfeifer,

We want to express our deepest gratitude for all that you have done for this community, this organization and for the countless individuals that you have assisted over the course of your amazing career.

We are very happy for you, but we will really miss you. God has given you a special gift and we feel so fortunate that you shared that gift serving the public while working here. It should be very gratifying to know that you have had a tremendous impact on so many lives throughout your career.

Congratulations on your retirement! Thank you for the nearly 20 years of service!

Well done, Lieutenant, well done! May God be with you always!

Love,

All of us at The Hartford Fire and Rescue Department

A "Salute to Christmas" is this year's theme for Hartford's Christmas Parade.

It's scheduled for Saturday, November 11 at 3 p.m. in downtown Hartford.

Santa is coming, according to Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kate Carroll.

"You'll find Santa in the steam locomotive caboose. He'll be available to meet the kids before the parade."

The Santa Train will be on the tracks at the corner of Main Street and Wisconsin in the city of Hartford from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Downtown Holiday Open House is also a big part of the day, on November 11.

Hartford Union High School will also be a busy place. It's the Hartford Lions Pancake Day, which begins at 7:30 a.m. along with the Hartford Women's Club Great Craft Expo from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Hartford’s frightening, and eerie haunted house will be open Friday and Saturday night, October 20 and October 21.

Terror on Rural Street is open every Friday and Saturday through the month of October.

It all started in 1998 by the Hartford Community Service. The spooky location sits between the Hartford Rec Center and Schauer Center.

There is free parking.

Hartford Community Service member Dick Feutz told WTKM that the funds raised stay local. 

Terror on Rural Street is located at 147 North Rural Street, in the city of Hartford.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

The Dodge County Highway Department has announced a reminder for National Move Over Day on Saturday, October 21.

It is in regard to a state law, that says drivers need to provide a safety zone for stopped law enforcement, emergency and maintenance vehicles. 

To help safeguard law enforcement officers, emergency responders, road
maintenance workers and others who work on the side of highways, Wisconsin has a "Move Over Law."
The law requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to provide a "safety zone" for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck, utility vehicle or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing.

Drivers have two options for creating a safety zone:
   >If the road has more than one directional lane, like the Interstate, and you
can switch lanes safely, you must move over to vacate the lane closest to
the law enforcement or other vehicle with its lights flashing.
    >If the road has a single directional lane or you can safely move over, you
must reduce your speed.
Failure of motorists to move over is one of the reasons that motor vehicle crashes
kill more law enforcement officers on duty than any other cause.

An important meeting was held at Slinger Middle School on Monday, October 16. The Washington County Sheriff's Office and Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates organized a presentation on social media safety.

Around 80 people attended to learn how to keep kids safer online and 36 families signed up for their e-mail list to receive information about other educational opportunities, events and resources. 

They sent out a big thank you for the wonderful Principal Kari Lutter, who organized and facilitated this event, and for being proactive and engaged in the issues regarding the safety of our children online. They also sent out a big thank you to the administration and board of directors, who allowed this presentation.  

The Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates' Facebook page is filled with information regarding their next meeting. 

The West Bend Fire Department provides some valuable advice for teenagers on the road.

The National Safety Council has declared National Teen Driver Safety Week.

They are encouraging teenagers to stay safe on the roads by keeping your eyes on the road, keeping your hands on the wheel and your mind on the driving task.

Remind your teen about the dangers of texting, dialing, or using mobile apps while driving. Require your young driver to put their phones away and to turn on the “Do Not Disturb” or similar phone features when on the road. Distracted driving isn’t limited to phone use; other passengers, vehicle audio and climate controls, and eating or drinking while driving are all sources of dangerous distractions when full time and attention should be given to driving.

Know your state’s law regarding mobile phone and texting while driving restrictions; 49 states ban texting while driving for novice drivers.

Parents and guardians, take note: These laws aren’t just for teen drivers. If your teen disobeys, enforce the penalties set with your teen before they started driving.

On Wednesday night, October 18 around 9:06 the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a request to check the welfare of a boater on Pike Lake, in the Town of Hartford. The caller reported that her 80-year-old husband had gone out to the lake several hours ago but had not yet returned home.

Mutual aid was requested from Hartford Police Department to check the boat launch parking lot at the Pike Lake State Park to attempt to locate the truck and trailer registered to the subject. An officer from the Hartford Police Department located a pickup truck and empty boat trailer registered to the subject parked in the lot.

Deputies immediately responded to Pike Lake with the Sheriff’s Department patrol boat and began a search of the lake. Conservation Wardens with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also responded with a patrol boat. Approximately five minutes after arriving on the lake, deputies located the subject’s boat unoccupied. The boat was located on the east shore of the lake, north of the Pike Lake State Park beach. It did not appear to have been involved in a collision.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team was notified, and they responded to the scene. The following fire departments responded to assist in the area search and dive operations: Hartford Fire Department, Richfield Fire Department, Kewaskum Fire Department, Slinger Fire Department, Allenton Fire Department, and West Bend Fire Department. Wisconsin State Patrol also responded.

A search of the lake and immediate vicinity was conducted by the use of multiple patrol boats with sonar capabilities and an aerial drone. After several hours of searching, the subject was not located, and search operations were suspended for the night. The search has been scheduled to resume during daylight hours.

This incident remains under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

On Tuesday, October 17 at approximately 5:25 p.m., the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an attempted strong-armed robbery in the Village of Richfield. The caller reported receiving an unexpected package from UPS. After a resident brought the package inside, a black male wearing a gray sweatshirt and orange Hi-Vis vest knocked on the door. The suspect advised a package was delivered for him at this address. He attempted to force his way into the residence to take it. A physical confrontation occurred between the suspect and the residents. The suspect then fled the area.

At approximately 9:35pm, The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the same residence that two black males, armed with guns, broke a window and entered the home. The residents told the intruders that the package had been turned over to the Sheriff’s Office. The suspects then fled the residence.

Initial witness reports indicate there was a vehicle in the area of the first incident that may have been involved. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is seeking any information about this incident, including video surveillance. You can contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 262-335-4378.

The Watertown Police Department issued a statement regarding Halloween.

As children take to the streets on Halloween to trick-or-treat, their risk of being injured by motorists increases greatly. Trick-or-treaters often forget about safety because they are so excited, motorists and parents must be even more alert. Here are some tips for helping keep young ones safe on Halloween:

Motorists - Slowdown in neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs/signals and drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs and look for children crossing the street. Kids may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars so carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys. You can also turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.

Parents - Ensure an adult or older, responsible youth is available to supervise young children and plan the route your trick-or-treaters will follow. Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes. Before they venture out, review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.

Trick-or-Treaters-Trick-or-Treaters should wear disguises that don’t obstruct vision and avoid facemasks. Instead, use face paint. Also, watch the length of costumes to help avoid tripping. Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible but if there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. Before crossing the street look both ways and cross streets only at the corner. Avoid crossing between parked vehicles or mid-block.

The Watertown Police Department want everyone to have a great time trick or treating but remember to follow the safety tips.

On October 17, 2023 the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division executed a search warrant in the City of Juneau, WI. The basis of this search warrant was a tip that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in reference to an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation.

As a result of the tip and a subsequent investigation, Daniel A. Uttech, age 62 of Juneau, was booked into the Dodge County Jail and the sheriff’s office has requested charges of 10 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a Class D Felony. Daniel A. Uttech had his initial court appearance on October 18th, 2023. He is currently being held on a $5,000 cash bond but as in all cases, all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is leading this investigation and was assisted at the scene by the Juneau Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations Digital Forensics Unit.

Questions may be directed to Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt

18-year-old Jillian Dunham, of rural Watertown was seriously injured in an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) crash in the Town of Shields in Dodge County. The location of the crash was about three miles northwest of the City of Watertown.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, a citizen reported finding an ATV that had crashed and a woman lying in the roadway with serious injuries. The initial investigation showed a four-wheeled ATV operated by the woman was westbound on Wood Road near County Road K, when it left the roadway and overturned in the ditch, and the operator was ejected from the ATV. A medical helicopter was called to the scene and transported the woman to a medical facility.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the crash and was assisted at the scene by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Wardens. The Watertown Fire Department and Paramedics and Flight For Life provided medical care at the scene. A helmet was at the scene, but whether it was worn at the time of the crash, and its impact on the injuries, is under investigation. All town roads in the Township of Shields, are open to ATV/UTV traffic by town ordinance.

Questions may be directed to Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt

The Downtown Hartford Reindeer Run is Saturday, November 11 at 2:15 p.m.

It’s a one-mile fun run, or you can walk.

Hartford’s Park and Rec Director Randy Wojtasiak told WTKM News it's for a great cause.

"All of the funds raised go to the United Way of Washington County. This run is unique, because it takes place right before the Hartford Christmas Parade in downtown Hartford. The parade begins at 3:00, so all of the runners will have a crowd of people that are finding their spots and cheering them on as they run by. It will be fun, and it's for all ages. We're running this with the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. Hartford Community Service Inc. stepped up with a major donation, and we appreciate it."                                        

The starting line is located at Union Street and Main Street in the city of Hartford. The route will take you down Main Street and the finish line is at the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center.

You can sign up at the Hartford Rec Office, and registrations will be accepted the day of the event on November 11.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office released information regarding a residential fire.

Case: 23-36490
Authority: Sgt Alexander Herriges

On Monday, October 16th, 2023, at approximately 9:48 PM, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a residential fire in the 4100 block of Hy 175 in the Town of Polk. The caller on scene reported that the fire had started in a garbage receptacle located outside of the residence and had spread to the home.

Mutual aid was requested from Slinger Police Department, and the first responding officer on scene had reported that the fire was no longer active as the caller had been able to extinguish the flames. The fire appeared to have been contained to the outside of the structure.

Slinger Fire Department responded to the scene along with an ambulance from Lifestar Rescue.

The caller was the tenant of the property, and he was the only occupant of the residence at the time of the fire. There were no injuries to the caller nor any personnel as a result of the fire. The traffic pattern on Hy 175 was not interrupted during this incident. The property owner was notified, and preliminary damage estimates were believed to be in excess of $10,000.

The investigation into the cause of the fire revealed that the property tenant had been lighting off fireworks earlier in the evening and had disposed of the remnants of the fireworks into the garbage receptacle located on the south side of the residence. He later woke up to the active fire coming from that location. The fire was extinguished by the caller with water from the garden hose.

Germantown Police Chief Mike Snow has cited an increase in pursuits on area roadways, and released this statement.

As many of you know, there has been an alarming increase in pursuits by law enforcement over the past decade. There is little evidence to suggest that the trend will change anytime soon. These pursuits pose a significant risk to the lives of uninvolved motorists and to the pursuing officers. There are times where it is critical these pursuits be terminated to prevent serious injury to those not involved in the pursuit.

Over a year ago our officers attempted to stop a motorist, who was later learned to be impaired, that was driving on both sides of the road and forcing vehicles off the roadway. It was clear an accident and potential significant injuries to those involved was likely if the vehicle was not stopped. We contacted the Wisconsin State Patrol to see if they had a Trooper trained in the Pursuit Intervention Technique (P.I.T) to attempt to terminate the pursuit. They did have a Trooper available who successfully performed a P.I.T maneuver, terminating the pursuit, with no injuries to anyone.

This technique is a low-speed maneuver intended to terminate the pursuit by causing the violator’s vehicle to spin out and come to a stop. It became clear this was a technique that would benefit the community we serve. Our officers were trained in the technique in 2022.

I have attached squad video from a recent pursuit where the P.I.T. maneuver was used by Sgt. von Bereghy. The offending driver failed to stop for Washington County Sheriff's Office Deputies. Our officers were able to successfully deploy tire deflation devices on the vehicle's tires, but the driver refused to stop. Sgt. von Bereghy was concerned due to extensive construction on USH 41, where lanes were closed, and construction workers were on scene. It was clear it was necessary to terminate the pursuit. Sgt. von Bereghy successfully terminated the pursuit by using this technique.

Our department has used the technique several times in the past year with no injuries to anyone involved. The driver in this incident was taken into custody uninjured, and turned over to Washington County Sheriff's Office Deputies.

Chief Snow

The Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates will hold an important meeting on Wednesday, October 18 at the Hartford Senior Center, at 730 Highland Ave. in the city of Hartford. It's scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.

You are invited to join them for a presentation on RUNAWAY TEENS AND THE VULNERABILITIES OF YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. 

Childhood trauma can lead youth down very dangerous paths. Combining the lack of a healthy support system with the desire to feel safe and loved, sexual predators search for and can easily exploit these vulnerabilities. This can lead runaway teens to participate in ‘Survival Sex’ just to eat, sleep in a warm bed or even to receive what they perceive as love.

Join them, along with their friends from the Washington County Foster Closet, for a discussion about how a community can work together to keep this vulnerable population safer.

Three deputies from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office graduated from the law enforcement academy at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton and began their careers in law enforcement. Deputies Matthew Burns, Kayla Crump, and Skyler Starry each received their certificates signifying completion of the 720 hour academy which incorporates basic law enforcement officer skills and training including patrol procedures, investigations, legal context, physical fitness, among other topics of instruction. Near the end of the academy, each candidate tests out in practical exercises demonstrating each of the skills they have learned.

Deputy Burns was voted class president by his peers, and presented keynote speaker, Sheriff Dale Schmidt, with a coin following his address to the class.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard was honored to post the colors prior to the ceremony. Team member Deputy Crump, was able to participate for her own graduation ceremony.

Congratulations to all of the academy graduates, and good luck on your careers ahead!

A meeting will be held on Monday, October 16 at the Slinger Middle School Cafeteria from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00.

It will be held by the Washington County Anti-Trafficking Advocates and Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The topic is Social Media Safety that all parents and youth should know.

A number of topics will be discussed, including the dangers involved, the laws and consequences. They will also cover what steps to take if something bad happens to you or a friend. The ability to recognize and identify predatorial conversations will also be covered during this informative public meeting.

This meeting on Social Media Safety is open to the public.

The internet is a great resource for children, but it can also be a dangerous place. Here are some tips to help keep your children safe online:

- Never share personal information with strangers online. This includes your name, address, phone number, or any other information that could be used to identify you.

- Be careful about what you post online. Once something is posted online, it can be difficult to remove. Think twice before you post anything that you wouldn't want your parents or other adults to see.

- Be wary of emails, links, and attachments from strangers. These can often contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer.

- Use strong passwords and change them regularly. A strong password is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

- Install security software on your computer and keep it up to date. This software can help to protect your computer from malware and viruses.

- Talk to your children about internet safety. Explain the risks of online predators and cyberbullying, and teach them how to stay safe.

By following these tips, you can help to keep your children safe online.

Here are some additional tips for parents:

- Set up parental controls on your computer and router. This will allow you to restrict the websites that your children can visit and the apps that they can use.

- Monitor your children's online activity. This doesn't mean you have to read every email or text message they send, but you should be aware of the websites they visit and the people they interact with online.

- Talk to your children about internet safety on a regular basis. The internet is constantly changing, so it's important to keep the conversation going.

It's a chance to see West Bend like never before.

Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14 it's Doors Open West Bend.

West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce Events and Program Manager Amber Cypcar told WTKM News about this unique event.

"This is the first ever Doors Open West Bend event, which is an opportunity for people to go behind the scenes with tours of local businesses and organizations. It's all over the city and the specialty shops that are downtown are open and excited for people to stop by."

23 tours are available to explore during this year's Doors Open West Bend event.

There will be guided tours. No tickets are necessary, unless specified.

A list if tours and activities can be found on wbachamber.org. 

A Community Conversation Night at Hartford Union High School will provide information on school funding and the HUHS budget implications. 

It will take place on Monday, October 16, 2023 and the community is invited to join school administrators at the HUHS Drama Lecture Hall from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., for a Community Conversation Night that promises to be an enlightening experience.

Superintendent Jeff Walters and Executive Director of Business Services and Human Resources Rob Nelson know this is the perfect opportunity for parents, teachers, staff, neighbors, and essentially anyone who is invested in the Hartford Area Community, to come together and learn about how school funding works and what it means for HUHS.

You can share your opinions, and help make a difference in the community. Their goal is to work together to make the district the best it can be.  

Hartford’s frightening, and eerie haunted house will be open Friday and Saturday night, October 13 and October 14.

Terror on Rural Street is open every Friday and Saturday through the month of October.

It all started in 1998 by the Hartford Community Service. The spooky location sits between the Hartford Rec Center and Schauer Center.

There is free parking.

Hartford Community Service member Dick Feutz told WTKM that the funds raised stay local. 

Terror on Rural Street is located at 147 North Rural Street, in the city of Hartford.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Hartford Common Council met Tuesday night, October 10.

Items from the consent agenda were approved, including the suspension of the Hartford downtown parking regulations for the upcoming holiday season – including Friday, November 10 through Monday, January first 2024.

Hartford Police Chief Scott MacFarlan introduced a new member of the department, and also presented Lieutenant Richard Thickens with the 2022 Officer of the Year award, for the Hartford Police Department.

An Ordinance was approved that allows BID permitted parking in the Mill Street parking lot.

Winter parking regulations were also discussed. Third District Alderperson Justin Webb presented a motion for the Hartford Common Council to consider.  

"I'll make a motion for public lots, and permitted parking on opposite sides of streets where it is wide enough to do that." 

The Hartford Common Council unanimously approved the item.

The Hartford Public Works usually has been able to get by during the winter season.  

The Slinger Police Department reminds you to safely dispose of any unwanted medications.

A anonymous drop box is located in the lobby of the Slinger Police Department. It is a secure location and can be used to properly and safely dispose of medications and drugs.

Please utilize this location, instead of flushing those unwanted medications into the sanitary system or placing in our landfills.

Hartford Fire and Rescue Chief Paul Stephans and Hartford Police Chief Scott MacFarlan recently released valuable information regarding the merger.

The City of Hartford has a proud history of providing dispatch services to the community since 1967. There have been, and continue to be, many technological advances in 9-1-1 answering services over the years. The most recent change in technology we are facing is the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 services. These services allow the caller in an emergency to text, send a picture, and/or send a video to a 9-1-1 dispatcher. As you can imagine, providing these types of services will require additional staffing and a significant upgrade in current technology. To implement this new way of 9-1-1 services, our communications center will need to double the staff in this area. Recruiting dispatchers is a challenge and has been made increasingly difficult following the COVID-19 pandemic. There are fewer individuals that seek a very technical, stressful, job that requires them to work in a rotation, around the clock, and on weekends and holidays. The move to Next Gen 9-1-1 will also require a technology upgrade to the current 9-1-1 system to allow it to accept and store new types of data, update the GIS, and the physical area where the dispatchers currently work to include additional workspace for staff.

When staff first began attending meetings regarding the State of Wisconsin developing a statewide Next Generation 9-1-1 system, there was discussion of grants being made available to dispatch centers to assist with the costs of such a major transition. When the time came and the grant solicitations were released by the Department of Military Affairs Office of Emergency Communications, the City of Hartford did not qualify for any of the funding. The only public safety answering point (PSAP) in the county that qualified was Washington County Sheriff’s department. Wisconsin statute restricts grant awards under the PSAP Grant Program to one PSAP per county. The Designated PSAP is identified by resolution of the county board. In addition to that, the Designated PSAP is required to meet the basic training and service standards detailed in Wis. Admin. Code DMA § 2.04 Minimum Training and Service Standards. While we may meet the training standards, we do not meet a couple of the minimum service standards. The following are the minimum service standards we do not comply with.

• The PSAP receives both wireline and wireless 9-1-1 calls directly.

• A minimum of two telecommunicators are on duty and available to receive and process calls while the PSAP is in operation.

As it relates to the first service standard listed above, Hartford dispatch answers all wireline 9-1-1 calls, but Washington County Sheriff’s dispatch center answers all the wireless 9-1-1 calls. This equates to between 80% to 90%of all 9-1-1 calls and continues to grow as fewer individuals and businesses use wireline for their phone service. The second service standard would require us to double our staffing as our minimum is always currently one dispatcher on duty with occasional overlap for a few hours every so often. The hiring of additional staff to comply with this requirement would come at great expense and would require an increase in the tax levy.

In addition to the language regarding allowable expenses for Next Gen 9-1-1 implementation in the grant solicitation, was language about consolidation. Activities to consolidate some or all functions of two or more PSAP’s were considered allowable expenses. The grant funds must be used in the direct support of the Designated PSAP’s consolidation of some or all functions of another PSAP. This language made it clear to us that even at the state government level consolidation was being encouraged. There is no path to grant funding for Hartford to implement Next Gen 9-1-1 services, therefore, the entire cost would fall on the Hartford taxpayers. The Washington County Sheriff’s department is the only PSAP eligible for the grant funding within the county and in fact has already received funding toward the implementation of their Next Gen 9-1-1 service.

Hartford dispatch could choose to stay the course and not move to the Next Gen 9-1-1 service, but in doing so, it would provide a lower level of service than all other residents in Washington County would experience in their respective communities. The decision to merge was based on the factors and considerations outlined above and was not an easy one. It was not based on the current or past performance of the staff in the dispatch center, who we know work diligently every day, around the clock, to provide the best service for our citizens. The pressure to consolidate is coming increasingly from the State of Wisconsin. We are not unique in this as other PSAPs in neighboring Ozaukee County made the same decision recently to merge their services with Ozaukee County. This is where the industry is headed, and where the resources are being directed.

As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts to the process of merging two dispatch centers, but we have planned it in a way that leverages the timing of normal attrition such that none of the staff will lose their employment with the City of Hartford because of the change in operations. There will of course be a change in city services in several areas that relate to the dispatch center, but every effort is being made to mitigate any foreseeable issues during the planning and implementation phases.

Many are wondering how their interaction with Hartford Police services will be because of this change in operations. The administrative phone line (262)673-2600 still be answered during the day by Police Support Specialists if the (new) auto attendant does not meet the caller’s needs. Citizens that visit our lobby will still be greeted during the day by a Police Support Specialist that can help them with their needs. After hours, they can pick up the phone to be in contact with a dispatcher at Washington County dispatch center that can connect them to Hartford Police services. Remember, between 80% and 90% of the 9-1-1 calls individuals in Hartford make are currently being answered by dispatchers at the Washington County Sheriff’s department. If an officer is requested, a Hartford police officer will still arrive to assist the individual in need. First responders from Hartford Fire and Rescue will continue to service the community. Hartford Utilities have already transitioned to an answering service, like the Village of Slinger uses currently, to answer calls for power outages and other utility issues. We are planning to move third shift dispatch operations over on October 9, 2023, and the remaining shifts by the first quarter of 2024.

Finally, though this change in operations is new to us, it is not new to many other law enforcement agencies with dispatch centers in neighboring counties and throughout the State of Wisconsin. There has been a growing shift in the direction of dispatch centers merging services, and advances in technology have helped to facilitate that change. Over the years we have forged a relationship with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department built on mutual respect, professionalism, and trust, and thus we are confident that throughout this process the best interests of our community will be at the forefront. Decisions like this are never easy. We give a tremendous amount of credit and praise to the men and women who have worked behind the phone and radio since 1967 to provide a high level of service to this community. Following this change in operations, those specialists will continue in their new role to provide professional services to those who chose to reside, work, or recreate, in the City of Hartford. We thank the Hartford community for the tremendous amount of support we have received over the many years. We do not take it for granted and will continue to provide a high level of service to the City of Hartford.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office released the following statement:

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the following information pursuant to WI Statute 301.46(2m) which authorizes law enforcement agencies to inform the public of a sex offender’s release when, in the discretion of the agency, the release of information will enhance public safety, awareness and protection. The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of a sex offense.

Jesse Michaels was scheduled to be released from prison on Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023. After his release, he will reside at 8118 Sandy Ridge Road, in the Town of Kewaskum.

In 2020, Jesse Michaels was convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. Jesse Michaels will be on probation until Oct. 11, 2026. He will be monitored closely by WI-DOC Division of Community. Jesse Michaels will have numerous rules and restrictions to follow including wearing a live tracking GPS unit.

This sex offender has served the prison sentence imposed on him by the courts. He is not wanted by law enforcement at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear, but rather it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.

Sex offenders have always lived in our communities; but it was not until the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law was enacted that law enforcement was able to share this information with the community. More information can be located at

Questions: Probation/Parole 262-335-5665, Sex Offender Registration Specialist Gina Carney 262-335-5665 or Sgt. Michael Hennes at 262-365-5054

Saturday, October 14 will be your last opportunity to browse the Dodge County Fairgrounds for treasures this season. The Dodge County Flea Market and Craft Fair is always a popular, monthly outing for collectors and thrifters. Fall is a fantastic opportunity to come out and explore the fairgrounds. Seasonal produce and unique finds will be around every corner on Saturday from 8am until 2pm. Arrive early for the best selection of antiques, crafts and memorabilia from local vendors. Many items are truly unique and when they’ve been purchased – they’re gone.

Vendors will be showcasing their items both indoors and outdoors. The final event of the year will be held rain or shine.

Bargain hunters have found unique tools, glassware, artwork, jewelry, knick-knacks and pieces of furniture that are truly one-of-a-kind. Sift through table after table and sort through bin after bin.

Several vendors also offer a variety of products and services that are only sold online. But you can check them out in person at the Dodge County Fairgrounds. All of the hottest gadgets and gifts will be available from local vendors, who can discuss the benefits of their products and share their personal experiences with each item.

If you have a product that you would like to share with our shoppers or are a collector or artisan, contact Cindy Ninmann at 4can@charter.net to secure your spot at this final event of the year. Call 920-210-1134 with any questions.

The Jackson Fire Department is hosting their annual open house tonight, October 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. You'll be able to watch some live demonstrations, try on firefighting gear and meet some of your local firefighters.

The Jackson Police Department and Jackson Village Administration will also be open for tours.

Everyone is welcome!

It’s Fire Prevention Week.

Hartford Fire and Rescue Chief Paul Stephans told WTKM about the theme.

"Every year there is a different theme put on by the National Fire Protection Association. This year's theme is Cooking Safety Starts With You, Pay Attention To Fire Prevention."                                                  

This year's theme centers around Cooking Safety. Kitchen fires account for nearly 50 percent of fires in the home. Area fire departments remind you to stand by your pan. Never leave the kitchen unattended with the stove on.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

One in four women and one in seven men aged 18 and older in the U.S. have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. 

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Friends, Inc. is the sole provider of shelter and support services for individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault in Washington County.  Their mission is to empower those affected by Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault by offering safety, support, and community awareness.

An upcoming event scheduled with Friends, Inc. include a Glow Yoga event at Blue Luna Yoga and Wellness on October 25. All the proceeds from this event will go back to Friends, Inc. 

For more information on Friends, Inc. please go to or call 262-334-5598.

To contact the Friends, Inc. 24/7 crisis line, please call 262-334-7298.

There is information regarding a single - vehicle accident from last Thursday night, October 6. It occurred at 9:48. Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the crash, which involved  injuries on State Highway 73, south of County Highway AC in the town of Westford, in Dodge County.  

The initial investigation shows a Grand Caravan, which was northbound when it made an abrupt left steering maneuver. The vehicle entered the west ditch, struck a driveway that caused the vehicle to vault, and then struck a tree.

A 51-year-old man from Randolph was the driver and sustained serious injuries. He was transported to a Medical Center in Beaver Dam by Randolph EMS and then flown by Med Flight to UW-Hospital in Madison. A 48-year-old female from Randolph was a passenger and sustained non-life threatening injuries. She was transported to a Medical Center in Beaver Dam by Fox Lake EMS.

The accident remains under investigation by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.

Hartford Union High School students recently made a difference with a volunteer project. 

Students from Hartford Union High School came to the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center on a Friday for an hour of volunteer service. They swept the pool deck and shell, organized floatation tubes, helped clean out the concession stand and bathhouse buildings.

This same level of 10 to 12 students will be back in the coming weeks to again volunteer their services back to the community.

The city of Hartford expressed their gratitude to the Hartford Union High School staff for thinking of them for a volunteer project.

The Hartford Fire and Rescue Department responded to a house fire on Otto Drive in the City of Hartford Sunday night, on October 8 shortly before 10:30 p.m.

The fire caused extensive damage to both the structure and its contents. All occupants of the two-story duplex were able to escape the fire, although a family cat did perish.

The Hartford Fire and Rescue Department was assisted by the Hartford Police Department, along with the Slinger and St. Lawrence Fire Departments. Lifestar EMS
provided EMS coverage while Hartford was busy fighting the fire.

Damage estimates are at $125,000 and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Centennial Park project is progressing in the city of Hartford.

Hartford City Administrator Steve Volkert told WTKM News that the park will have a unique look. 

"This is going to be something we design to look like a train depot. And the actual, entire park will have the theme of railroad. It's such a prominent thing in the city of Hartford and with the city's history."

Recent work at Centennial Park included paving the new parking lots and walking trail along the northern edge of the Mill Pond.

It also includes the installation of the poured-in-play surface located under, and around the new playground and finalizing the signage and the clock on the new pavilion.

The work on Centennial Park, which started over two years ago, will be entirely complete by the City of Hartford’s Christmas Parade, which will be Saturday, November 11.

Members of the Dodge County Sheriff's Office gathered for a swearing-in and recognition ceremony.

Grace Millard was sworn in as a patrol deputy. Kevin Harvancik, who retired in May after 26 years of service, was sworn in as part-time court security.

Mike Thoreson was sworn in as a Chaplain.

Letters of Commendation were given to Chief Deputy Chad Enright, Chief Deputy Scott Mittlestadt, Captain Jason Boeck, Lieutenant Christine Churchill, Lieutenant Brian Drumm, Lieutenant Joseph Nicholas, Lieutenant Taylor Nehls and Lieutenant Robbie Weinfurter for their hard work and vital roles in the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG) Accreditation process. Dodge County Administrator Cameron Clapper spoke and also assisted in handing out the awards.

Lieutenant Nicholas and Lieutenant Nehls were given a plaque with K9 Kid and K9 Tek’s photo and badge on it. Both K9 Kid and K9 Tek retired earlier this year.

Sergeant Bradley Konkel was given a Letter of Commendation and a Life Saving Award for administering CPR for nearly three minutes on a subject who was unconscious and unresponsive. Once EMS arrived on the scene, they administered two shocks and EMS was able to detect a pulse.

Deputy Martin Keberlein was given a Letter of Commendation and a Life Saving Award for responding to a suicidal subject in which the subject was attempting to end his life. Deputy Keberlein performed life life-saving measures and the subject regained a pulse.

Deputy McCarty was given a Letter of Commendation for assisting in a motor vehicle crash in which a mother was killed and her then 11-year-old daughter was severely injured. Deputy McCarty's primary assignment was to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests on the defendant. Assistant Attorney General's Office Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor commended that during the trial Deputy McCarty's testimony went extremely well and mentioned his testimony as playing a major factor in the decision to convict the defendant.

Public Safety Administrative Specialist Rachel Davison was given a Letter of Commendation for reviewing all the items in our computer shared drive and moving them to a different location. Rachel worked with many different departments and came in early to complete the switchover so that it would have little impact on users during peak user and work times.

Congratulations to all!

It’s opening night of Terror on Rural Street, on Friday, October 6.

The Hartford Community Service is in their 25^th year of presenting this spooky,  frightening haunted house.

Dick Feutz is a member and says the funds raised stay local.

"When it's all over, we take our revenue minus our expenses and donate it entirely to the community. This past year we donated $67,500 to the community."                                   

It included scholarships to Hartford Union High School, Special Olympics, Operation Christmas Child, Downtown City Lights and Support the Troops and much more.

So, when you feel scared or spooked...just remember it’s for a good cause.

It will be open every Friday and Saturday during the month of October, and tonight, on October 6 it begins.

It’s located at 147 North Rural Street, in the city of Hartford – it is between the Hartford Rec Center and Schauer Center.

It’s the 13^th year that Slinger High School and Hartford Union High School have combined forces by Tackling Cancer Together highlighted by their “Coaches vs Cancer” football game.  The event was initiated in 2011 by Kevin Wilkinson, a Slinger football coach who was fighting his own personal battle with cancer at the time.   Kevin passed away 2 months after the game, but it was his wish that it carry on, so the “Coaches vs Cancer” game has become an annual event, with a traveling trophy created in his memory. Last year, the traveling trophy was renamed the “Wilkinson/Redders” traveling trophy after Hartford Head Football Coach John Redders lost his father to cancer the previous year.

Slinger Head Football Coach Bill Jacklin and Hartford Head Football Coach John Redders told WTKM News how honored they feel to be a part of this important annual event, and the game itself.  

 Tomorrow night’s football game is a big one, as Slinger hosts Hartford.

All of the funds raised goes to the American Cancer Society. Last year, $15,094 was raised to aid the fight against cancer. 

Yesterday morning, October 4 around 7:16 a.m. the West Bend Police Department was notified by high school staff of a physical altercation occurring amongst a small group of students. As a safety precaution, school staff placed the High School on a brief hold until the matter was resolved. Officers responded and those involved in the disturbance were taken into custody to the West Bend Police Department while the matter was investigated.

Regular classes eventually resumed and there is no threat to the community.

There is zero tolerance for school violence or threats of school violence and those involved in this type of incident will face criminal charges for their actions.

The West Bend Police Department has a presence in all of the schools, according to West Bend Police Chief Tim Dehring. 

"We have devoted significant resources to school safety, including four full-time school police officers assigned to the West Bend School District."

As an additional safety precaution, students and parents may notice an increased police presence at the schools in the coming days.

The Dodge County Sheriff's Office is providing school resource officer (SRO) services in the Village of Lomira in conjunction with their enhanced contracted police services to the Village of Lomira. They are now providing you with the opportunity to communicate more easily with our assigned deputy to Lomira Schools, Deputy Jay Thielmann. By downloading the Dodge County Sheriff's Office App on your smartphone, you can send an email directly to Deputy Thielmann at any time.

Your email may be about a concern you have at school, a legal question you may have, or you may just want to say hi. To access Deputy Thielmann's SRO page after you download the app to your smartphone, click on the "More" button on the bottom of the home page, followed by "Schools", followed by "Lomira".

Keep in mind that Deputy Thielmann is not on duty 24 hours a day, but he will respond to your email as soon as he is able while on duty. If you do need immediate assistance from the sheriff's office you can always reach out via our non-emergency phone number, 920-296-8619, or submit an incident report right from our Dodge County Sheriff's Office App without ever making a call.

Pink Pumpkin Fest is this Saturday, October 7 in downtown Hartford.

This free event begins at 8 a.m. and runs through 2p.m.

Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kate Carroll told WTKM News about this great event.

"This event is hosted by the Hartford Chamber, in conjunction with the Hartford Business Improvement District and it is on the same day and also working side-by-side with the Pink Pumpkin Run. The Pink Pumpkin Fest will have vendors and live music. We will also hold a couple of pumpkin races down the Rubicon this year as a fundraiser for the Hartford Riverwalk Holiday Lights."

There will be live music and market vendors.

The mini pumpkin race involves 504 of those pink mini pumpkins that will be racing down the Rubicon River. The business pumpkin race will involve larger decorated pumpkins racing down the Rubicon.

Contact or stop in to the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce for any questions.

There is more information regarding a fire in Watertown that occurred on Friday, September 29. It happened around 2:12 p.m.

The Watertown Fire Department responded to a report of a commercial fire at 1220 American Way. Crews arrived and found smoke coming from an open garage door. An employee had used a fire extinguisher, this helped to control the spread of the fire until the fire department arrived. Firefighters used a hose line to extinguish the remaining fire and fans to ventilate smoke from the building. Crews were on scene for about 2 hours. There was one reported injury, and that person was transported to the hospital for evaluation.

The investigation revealed that the fire originated from hot embers after the use of machinery. Loss estimates are $125,000 for the building, equipment, and other content.

The Watertown Fire Department was assisted by Waterloo, Ixonia, Lebanon, and Johnson Creek Fire Department’s, Jefferson and Horicon EMS, Watertown Police Department, Watertown and Jefferson Dispatch Centers.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and Fox Lake Police Department responded to a residence in the City of Fox Lake at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 30 regarding a person who was in a mental health crisis and a firearm was believed to be involved.

During the investigation into the incident, a small portion of a residential neighborhood had access restricted to ensure the safety of all involved, and the community. Approximately 2 hours into the investigation, a robot was used to safely access the residence, and a person was found deceased inside.

The incident is under investigation by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Fox Lake Police Department, and the Dodge County Medical Examiner. Fox Lake EMS was staged at the scene for the duration of the event. There is no safety risk to the community regarding this incident. No additional information is expected to be released.

Questions may be directed to Dodge County Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt.

Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt

Office: 920-386-4115

dschmidt@co.dodge.wi.us

It's happening again this year.

The City of Hartford Public Works Department is collecting and recycling used steel and metals to raise funds for this year's campaign for the United Way of Washington County.

Hartford City Administrator Steve Volkert is serving as a campaign co-chair.

"All that steel, all that metal will be recycled and all the money we get during the month of October will go towards United Way. So, we are literally steeling for United Way, asking for your help to make it bigger and better this year."

Last year, nearly $7,000 was collected for the United Way of Washington County's annual campaign.

Any local resident or business that has used steel is invited to call Hartford City Hall at 262-673-8261 and schedule curbside pickup of your items, only during the month of October this year.

Anyone else outside of the immediate Hartford area is invited to drop off your items at the City Recycling Center, located behind the City Garage at 710 W. Sumner St. in the city of Hartford.