There is more information regarding a fatal accident from August 29, at 2:30 a.m. It happened in the area of Highway 175 and Highway 164 in Polk.

Washington County Sheriff's deputies, Slinger police officers and state patrol troopers discovered a woman and a man at the scene. Lifesaving efforts were performed, but both subjects passed away at the scene of the accident on August 29. 

They have been identified as 29-year-old Emerald Tingue, of Polk and 51-year-old Eric Anderson, of Jackson.

The road was closed for five hours while the Washington County Crash Reconstruction Unit and the Washington County Medical Examiner's Office investigated the scene.

The accident remains under investigation.     

The final Courtyard Series Summer Concert of the season begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 10 at the Schauer Arts Center, in Hartford.

The Squeezetts will perform traditional polkas and waltzes, with a mix of vintage pop hits, and random tunes you never thought you’d hear played on the accordion and tuba.

This show was originally scheduled for July 16, but was canceled due to air quality concerns at the time.

"It has been a great season," according to Schauer Center Executive Director John Hassig. "Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show. We had nice crowds this summer, people seem to enjoy the outdoor setting for our Thursday night concerts."

It's located between the Schauer Arts Center and the Hartford Recreation Center, the perfect spot to enjoy live music, delicious food from various food trucks, and refreshing drinks.

"We will also have a free dance class as well," said Hassig. "Our Happy Dance Instructor Eric Thomas will be on site teaching some new moves."

The Schauer Center's outdoor summer concerts are free and are expected to return next year.  

Semper Fi and America's Fund is certainly making a positive impact.

Their goal is to care for the nation's critically wounded, ill and injured service members, Veterans and families. 

Sam Tickle is a 12-year Veteran of the Navy and Marine Corps. He serves as the senior director of sports for Semper Fi and America’s Fund.

"Our goal is to care for our nation's service members, Veterans and families. We do that through our healing program, transitional assistance program which helps with education and jobs. And our integrated wellness program, which covers their recovery through sports."

They have been making a difference since 2004 and cover 170 grants each day, in support. All of the money being raised goes directly to the service members.    

After 26 years of service to the City of Oconomowoc, including the last six years as Chief of Police, Chief James P. Pfister has announced his retirement.

Chief Pfister thanked the residents of Oconomowoc for their continued support, trust and partnership over the years. January 7, 2027, will be Chief Pfister’s last day with the department as he begins a new journey into retirement.

In a letter addressed to Administrator Frye and Mayor Rosek, Chief Pfister formally announced his retirement. 

"Serving the City of Oconomowoc has been the greatest honor of my professional life," Pfister wrote. "Together, we have worked to strengthen public safety, build community trust, and ensure that our department operates with integrity, professionalism, and compassion."

Chief Pfister went on to say that he ensures a smooth and seamless transition and has every confidence that the department will continue to thrive. 

The Hartford Police Cadets proudly competed in the Appleton Police Cadet Competition. The cadets participated in a variety of challenging scenarios designed to test their knowledge, communication, teamwork, and decision making skills. Scenarios included traffic stops, check welfare calls, search warrants, active threat situations, and several other law enforcement related exercises. The Hartford Police Cadets competed as two teams of four, with each team consisting of a combination of newer and senior cadets.

The Hartford Police Department is especially proud of how well their newer cadets performed throughout the competition. Many of them excelled under pressure and demonstrated that the training, instruction, and expectations they provide through the Cadet Program are translating into their performance. The Hartford Police Cadets were also proud to take third place in the traffic stop scenario, competing against numerous cadet teams from other agencies.

The Hartford Police Department is extremely proud of all their cadets and the effort they put into representing the department and community. Their dedication, professionalism, and willingness to learn are a reflection of the hard work they put in throughout the year. Strong support creates meaningful opportunities to learn about law enforcement, develop leadership skills, and become positive members of the community.

The Washington County Highway Department pulverized and repaved a 1.5-mile stretch of road in the Village and Town of Kewaskum. 

It included County Trunk Highway S, from State Highway 28 to the north county line. The project included pulverizing existing asphalt, new asphalt surface, shouldering, ditching, striping and signs.

Stark Asphalt was the prime contractor. Punch list work by the contractor will continue for a short time.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a serious-injury crash involving a motorcycle and three-wheel motorized tricycle, which occurred at 12:28 p.m. on Monday, September 7 on County Highway FW in Westford. As a result of this crash, a 56-year-old Mayville man was flown by UW Med Flight from the scene.

The initial investigation has shown a Harley Davidson trike, and a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle were traveling north on County Hwy FW, traveling together. The trike attempted a right turn into a parking lot. The motorcycle was following, and rear ended the trike, ejecting the driver from the motorcycle. As a result of the crash, the driver of the 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle suffered serious injuries and was transported by helicopter to UW Hospital.

The driver of the 2024 Harley Davidson tricycle was identified as a 76-year-old man from Mayville. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital by Randolph EMS.

Lack of helmet use was a factor in the seriousness of the 56-year-old man’s injuries.

Also responding to and assisting at the crash were the Fox Lake Fire Department, Fox Lake EMS, Randolph EMS, Beaver Dam Paramedics, UW Med Flight and the Dodge County Emergency Response Team. Currently, this crash remains under investigation.  

Work is continuing to move forward on The Fields at Village Park, the next phase of the Village Park Master Plan in Sussex.

The baseball and softball complex, which will include five fields, is planned for 18 acres that the Village of Sussex acquired in 2025. The project will include a main stadium field with seating, four additional fields, batting cages, dugouts and a full-service concessions facility with restrooms and storage.

With the project moving toward construction, the contractor selection process is anticipated to take place in early 2027, with the bulk of construction expected to begin in spring 2027.

As part of the initial site preparation, some clearing on the property is expected to begin as early as Tuesday, September 8. The project design will determine which trees need to be removed, with an effort to preserve established, mature trees wherever possible and maintain the tree lines along the property's north and east sides.

Spec photo from the Village of Sussex.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to an injury crash that involved a bicycle and motor vehicle on county road I in the town of Portland Monday night, September 7 at 7:10 p.m. 

The initial investigation showed that a motor vehicle, operated by a 46-year-old woman from Waterloo was traveling south on County Road I, when it struck a southbound bicycle which was being ridden by a 72 year old man from Waterloo.  

The bicyclist was injured as a result of the accident and was transported by Waterloo EMS to UW Hospital in Madison. The bicyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The operator of the motor vehicle was not injured.

The Waterloo Police Department and Waterloo EMS assisted. It’s under investigation by the Dodge County Crash Investigation Team.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a report of an accident which involved a bike and vehicle. It happened on Thursday, September 3 at 4:13 p.m. on Division Road and Western Avenue in the Town of Jackson. Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies, the Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire and EMS were dispatched to the scene.

While responders were en route, witnesses reported that the striking vehicle had fled eastbound from the scene. The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office was notified and asked to watch for the suspect's vehicle. Upon arrival, first responders confirmed the vehicle had left the scene.

The bicyclist, a Germantown man in his mid-60s, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He was transported by Jackson EMS to a medical facility.

Based on witness statements and evidence collected at the scene, investigators identified a suspect's vehicle and driver. During the ongoing investigation, Washington County deputies located the suspect's vehicle in Ozaukee County. Deputies initiated a traffic stop; however, the driver failed to yield. A brief pursuit involving Washington and Ozaukee County law enforcement followed before the driver stopped and was taken into custody by the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver, an out-of-state man in his early 30's who was in the area for work, is believed to have been impaired by alcohol at the time of the crash.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office intend to seek charges related to this incident.

This investigation remains ongoing.

Highways are expected to bottleneck during Labor Day weekend.

The final travel weekend of the summer will be busy, with peak travel time on Monday, September 7  from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wisconsinites can expect higher travel costs and heavier traffic.

Hotel costs have gone up, with domestic bookings rising 9% this year compared to last season.

Wisconsin's gas prices are averaging $3.80, at the time of this writing. AAA says prices could rise further, with the national average potentially exceeding $4 for the first time. Wisconsin may see record-high Labor Day gas costs.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident involving a Johnson School Bus driver after a 4-year-old child was left unattended on a school bus following the completion of the child’s route on Wednesday, September 2. 

At approximately 5:47 p.m., the Kewaskum Police Department received a call from the child’s mother, who resides in the Town of Kewaskum, after the child did not arrive home. A Kewaskum Police officer responded to the Johnson School Bus Service facility, located just outside the Village of Kewaskum, and located the unoccupied bus assigned to the child’s route in the facility’s outdoor parking lot.

While checking the facility grounds, the officer observed the four-way emergency flashers were activated on a different school bus parked outside. The officer investigated and located the child inside the closed bus at 6:18 p.m. The child was visibly hot and partially clothed.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and determined that the original bus had been parked at 5:30 p.m. Of particular concern to investigators were the temperatures inside the buses. Due to the outdoor conditions and the buses being closed and unoccupied, internal temperatures inside the buses were in excess of 100 degrees. 

Deputies met with representatives of Johnson School Bus Service who fully cooperated with the investigation. The company has a standard safety protocol requiring buses to be checked at the completion of each route. Kewaskum School District leadership also responded to the scene to conduct an internal assessment of the incident.

As part of the investigation, deputies also learned that the bus driver had previously reported a malfunction involving the bus’s electronic child reminder alarm system. The Child Check-Mate System is designed to audibly alert the driver after the bus is turned off to remind the driver to check the bus for any remaining students on board. The system requires the driver to walk to the rear of the bus and manually disengage the system and provides an additional opportunity to check the entire bus for children. 

During the investigation, the driver admitted that he did not conduct a manual check of the bus after completing the route, despite the malfunctioning alarm system.

The investigation indicates that the child likely fell asleep during the bus route and was unintentionally left on the bus. Investigators have found no evidence that the driver intentionally left the child on the bus or acted with the intent to harm the child.

Due to the child’s age, the length of time the child remained unsupervised, the extreme temperatures inside the bus, and the circumstances surrounding the driver’s failure to check the bus with the known alarm issue, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will refer a child neglect charge to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office for review.

The driver, a 69-year-old man with nearly five years of experience as a school bus driver with Johnson Bus Service, was not taken into custody.

The child was not injured, and the parents declined emergency medical services.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office will determine whether criminal charges will be pursued.

Strong thunderstorms certainly packed a punch during morning drive time and during the start of school on Thursday, September 3.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued until 8:51 a.m. by the National Weather Service for area counties, including Washington, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Milwaukee. This band of storms included strong rain, lightning and winds up to 50 miles per hour.

Village of Richfield Department of Public Works crews were busy on Thursday, September 3 clearing many trees that were knocked down across roadways, due to the storm.

The National Weather Service then issued a flood advisory around 9:30 a.m. for Washington County, Waukesha County, Ozaukee County and Milwaukee County until 12 p.m. 

We Energies reported over 21,000 customers without power in southeast Wisconsin, at the time of this writing. It included 4,479 in Washington County, 3,995 in Milwaukee and 1,544 in Waukesha.

Hartford’s Jack Russell Memorial Library has started adult programs, including Coffee and Community, and it takes place on the first Friday of every month.

As soon as the doors open at 9 a.m., hot coffee is available. They will present a speaker at 10 a.m.

Hartford's Library Director Vanessa Taylir told WTKM about the speaker for Friday, September 4 along with a few upcoming speakers.

"We have Mark from the Ice Age Trail, he will talk about their Mammoth Challenge that they are having. We will also have someone from the Hartford Community Service and the Hartford Food Pantry."                                          

It’s Coffee and Community at the Jack Russell Memorial Library, in Hartford.

An ongoing EHD outbreak has been confirmed in wild deer in Washington County and suspect cases are also being reported from northern Waukesha and Ozaukee counties. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources continues to catalogue all reports of potentially impacted deer. 
The DNR is tracking this outbreak through reported sightings of recently dead deer in the area.

Hemorrhagic disease is an acute, infectious, often fatal, viral disease that affects white-tailed deer and other hoofed animals. It is caused by either the bluetongue virus or the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus. In areas where HD regularly occurs, death rates are lower, usually less than 25% of the population, in areas where the disease rarely occurs. In Wisconsin, death rates can be much higher and high-density deer herds may have higher mortality rates.

The disease was diagnosed for the first time in Wisconsin deer in the fall of 2002, when approximately 14 deer were found suddenly dead in Iowa County, according to the DNR. Between 2002 and 2011, blood samples from deer were collected and tested. The results did not find antibodies to the viruses that cause HD, which suggests that deer in Wisconsin are not routinely exposed to these viruses. Sporadic outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease occur in Wisconsin. 

The viruses that cause hemorrhagic disease do not infect humans.

It won’t be long until harvest time. What about corn and soybeans?

USDA’s National Ag Statistics service says corn development is ahead of schedule. 85 percent now in the doe stage.

Five percent of the corn is mature. And some corn silage harvesting has begun, with five percent already in the books.

96 percent of the soybeans are setting pods, that’s three percent more than the five-year average.

John Heinberg of Total Farm Marketing, in West Bend says there is concern about the soybeans. 

"A slip of two percent from last week on that soybean crop condition, we are now under the five-year average, which was sixty percent. We are seven percent under last year. Some of the concerns is the bean crop is not finishing out, and it seems to be coming true with more chatter of disease possibly showing up. I've noticed some things in some of our fields around here too, we have had so much moisture here in the end and that's one of the last things beans need."   

Suitable days were reported for fieldwork during the week ending August 30, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Potato harvesting was underway, while some farmers had begun limited fall tillage.

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's - Washington County takes place on Saturday, September 26 at Regner Park in West Bend. It's a free, family-friendly event.

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer's with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony. It's a mission-focused experience that signifies their solidarity in the fight against the disease. During the ceremony, walkers will carry flowers of various colors, each color representing their personal connection to alzheimer's disease.

More than 7 million Americans are living with alzheimer's disease. In Wisconsin, there are more than 110,000 people living with the disease and over 206,000 caregivers.

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.

Visit act.alz.org/washingtonco to register.  

The Jackson Fire Department announced that the department will officially transition to providing 100% paramedic-level emergency medical services to the communities they serve. This transition, beginning Tuesday, September 1 at 7 a.m. represents a significant advancement in the level of emergency medical care available to residents in the Village of Jackson, Town of Jackson, Town of Polk and the Town of Germantown.

This level of service will allow their paramedics to perform more advanced skills and administer more life-saving medications that can be critical during life-threatening emergencies. 

Their goal is to provide the right care, at the right level, as quickly as possible.

The extensive work of the Jackson Fire Department EMS Committee made this transition possible. The committee was involved in the planning, development, review and implementation of the many changes necessary to move from a flex staffing model to a full paramedic-level EMS system.

The Jackson Fire Department has operated under a flex staffing model since 2019. In fact, the Jackson Fire Department was the first fire department in Wisconsin to implement flex staffing for EMS.  

Hartford’s Joint 1 School District’s first day of school is Tuesday, September 1.

It’s been a busy summer, according to District Administrator Dr. Tara Villalobos. 

"In the summer we have a lot of things to do, whether it's related to facilities and getting all of the buildings ready. Whether it's our Summer Academy, where we get our students continued enrichment during the summer so there is continued learning. Our Middle School Connections program just happened, along with the training for all of our staff."

They are looking forward to another great school year, with Central Middle School, Lincoln Elementary and Rossman Elementary.

They continue to improve the curriculum for the students.

"Our school board just approved our curriculum review cycle last month," according to Dr. Villalobos. Along with that, in the spring we adopted several new pieces of curriculum. We adopted ELA curriculum, which is english language arts at all grade levels. Then we adopted a new science curriculum."                                      

Many students and parents attended the Joint 1 School District's annual open house events on Wednesday, August 26 and Thursday, August 27. It was a chance to prepare for the upcoming school year by visiting classrooms and meeting their teacher.     

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office investigated internet crimes, after they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

As a result of the tip and the investigation, 60-year-old John Bauer, of Mayville, and 42-year-old Jason Van Dyke, of Burnett were booked into the Dodge County Jail. Each suspect face a felony charge in this case.

These charges are being requested to the Dodge County District Attorney’s Office.

All individuals arrested and booked into the Dodge County Jail can be found on the “Arrest” tab of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office App.

The Washington County Humane Society is inundated with cats. 

Event and Cultivation Specialist Hannah Noegel told WTKM that the number of cats and kittens is growing at the shelter.  

"It was a big late summer cat and kitten boom. Right now, we need the community's help to find homes for these fantastic felines. We are caring for a wide variety of ages, breeds, energy levels and personalities."                                      

Visit the cat’s page on their website, wchspets.org or visit the shelter which is located between Slinger and Jackson, on Highway 60.

The Washington County Humane Society is open to the public for adoption viewing hours on Monday and Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.   

The Washington County Highway Department reconstructed a two-mile stretch of road in the Town of Jackson, including County Trunk Highway M from County Highway T (Western Ave) to State Highway 60.

The project included culvert improvements, new and wider asphalt surface, shouldering, ditching, sightline improvements, striping, and signs. 

Mashuda Contractors was the prime contractor. The project was completed five weeks early.  

The Washington County Communications Center received a 911 call of a motorcycle crash in the area of Highway 175 and Highway 164 in the Town of Polk on Saturday, August 29 at 2:30 a.m.

Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Slinger Police Department and Wisconsin State Patrol responded to the scene and located a female patient and a male patient. Lifestar Rescue and the Slinger Fire Department also responded. Lifesaving efforts were performed, but both patients passed away. The victims were identified as a 29-year-old woman, from Polk and 51-year-old man, from Jackson.  

The roadway was closed for five hours while the Washington County Crash Reconstruction Unit and the Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office investigated the scene.

The crash remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann welcomed U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald to the Oaks of Jackson on Tuesday, August 25 for a tour highlighting the county’s Next Generation Housing Initiative and its growing influence as a model for expanding attainable homeownership.

Schoemann, Fitzgerald and Village of Jackson Administrator Jen Heidke toured newly constructed homes, met with homeowners and discussed how Washington County’s public-private approach is helping working families purchase homes, supporting local employers and encouraging future housing development.

“What started as a local solution to a challenge facing Washington County is now helping shape the national conversation about housing,” Schoemann said. “Our Next Generation Housing Initiative demonstrates what can be accomplished when county and municipal leaders work alongside builders, employers and community partners. By reducing barriers to construction and focusing on attainable homeownership, we are helping more working families achieve the American Dream while strengthening the workforce our local businesses need.”

The visit also highlighted Fitzgerald’s recently introduced federal housing legislative package, including the Working Families Home Construction Act, which was inspired by a similar program implemented in Washington County.

“Washington County has shown that innovative financing can help get more homes built for working families,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “My Working Families Home Construction Act takes the lessons learned here in Wisconsin and brings them to the federal level, helping builders access the financing they need to build more middle-class housing across the country.” 

“Fixing the housing shortage in the United States is one of the top issues we face,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “Washington County has developed a successful model for overcoming barriers to housing construction, and we need to build on that success so more hardworking Americans can achieve the dream of homeownership.”

The Working Families Home Construction Act would allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase qualifying residential construction loans at low interest rates. The proposal is intended to help builders obtain financing for land acquisition, infrastructure, site preparation and other upfront costs associated with producing middle-class housing.

Fitzgerald’s package also includes the Sustainable Homeownership Act and the Home Affordability Through Mortgage Simplification Act. Together, the proposals seek to reduce barriers to new housing construction, simplify the homebuying process and expand sustainable homeownership opportunities.

During the tour, Schoemann and Fitzgerald visited homes constructed by Hillcrest Builders and spoke with Next Generation Housing homeowners about their experiences. Local government, business, housing and community representatives also discussed how attainable housing helps employers recruit and retain workers by allowing more families to live near their jobs and establish roots in Washington County.

Washington County launched the initiative in 2021 to increase the supply of attainable, owner-occupied housing and address barriers to homeownership. Under its updated framework, the initiative seeks to create 1,000 new owner-occupied housing units in Next Generation Housing developments by 2032.

The initiative’s pricing goals call for 40% of homes to be sold for less than $340,000, 80% for less than $360,000 and all homes for less than $420,000, including the home and lot or site. Its broader vision is to expand housing opportunities, provide attainable options and help families obtain quality homes while keeping housing costs within approximately 30% of household income.

Photo of U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald by Washington County.

A barn fire was reported from Meadow Road, in Farmington. The caller reported smoke and flames coming from the barn, which had animals inside.

The Fillmore Fire Department was dispatched and quickly upgraded the incident on Friday morning, August 28 around 7:37 a.m. Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded and found the structure fully engulfed in flames, with heavy smoke throughout the area.

Area fire departments responded, including Boltonville, Newburg, Kewaskum, St Lawrence, Jackson, Kohlsville, West Bend, Silver Creek, Fredonia, Random Lake, Saukville, Beechwood, Richfield, Grafton, Allenton, Hartford, Slinger, Campbellsport, Campbellsport, and Washington County Emergency Management.

Meadow Road was closed for four and a half hours to support firefighting operations. No injuries to firefighters or other emergency personnel were reported.

The barn, which included a milking parlor, was declared a total loss. Damage is estimated to exceed $1 million.

The fire remains under investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Fillmore Fire Department.

The fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature.