River Hills accepts garbage contract

Sept. 15, 2009 6:16 p.m. | An attempt to hammer out a less expensive contract with Veolia Environmental Services failed, and the Village Board last week reluctantly accepted a five-year refuse collection contract that will increase the annual cost from $17.48 a month to $23.50 per household. That will increase the annual cost 34.4 percent, from $131,310 to $176,532.

For that price, residents will receive basic service, refuse and recycling collections every other week outside the garages. Residents can also contract with Veolia for weekly service for an additional $20 a month. Veolia bills the residents directly for the extra collections.

Also offered is premium "in the garage" service for a $120 fee billed directly to residents.

Under the five-year contract, rates are subject to an annual increase of 13 percent as well as any other increases in federal, state or local fees. A fuel surcharge could be charged if the base fuel price exceeds $2.90 a gallon.

The village received only one bid for the collection services because other contractors did not want to provide "up the driveway" service, according to Village Manager Tom Tollaksen. Veolia uses scooters to go up the many long driveways in the village and bring trash down to trucks waiting in the road.

Eight Nicolet students named National Merit semifinalists

Sept. 14, 2009 8:46 p.m. | Eight Nicolet High School seniors have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Mark Ambrose, Mallory Beer, Max Blumenthal, Megan Grady, Nicole Hangsterfer, Elizabeth Hortsmeier, Nicholas Lee and Keith Lewis will advance to the finalist level of the competition to be considered for a Merit Scholarship award. Merit scholars are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

High school students enter the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test - a test that serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year. The National Merit Scholarship winners of 2010 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July

Physical Bay overpowers border rival Nicolet, 38-7, in NSC opener

Sept. 11, 2009 10:39 p.m. | Just because the Whitefish Bay football team is small in number (less than 45 total sophomore through senior), doesn't mean that it can't be physical, or intense or remarkably efficient at times like the Blue Dukes looked in their 38-7 North Shore Conference opening rout of visiting border rival Nicolet Friday night.

"Our guys are really tested," said junior quarterback Cal Ehrke, one of the few players who doesn't go both ways. "They really know what they're doing both offensively and defensively." Ehrke was an impressive 13 of 15 passing for 156 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The win improved Bay to 2-1 overall while Nicolet fell to 1-2. The Knights, who were outgained by the Blue Dukes 346-214, had their moments, but first-year Coach Everett Jenkins knew that wasn't nearly enough.

"We have a lot of work to do," he said, "and we need a lot of help. We just lost to a better team tonight. A team that was much better on the line of scrimmage."

The Blue Dukes earned a 21-0 first half lead on a 12-yard run by Ehrke, a six-yard Ehrke to Justin Alt pass and a 22-yard Ehrke to Paul Davis connection with just 2.5 seconds left in the half.

Homestead, Nicolet tennis photos now online

Sept. 11, 2009 12:48 p.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery from Thursday's North Shore Conference girls tennis match between Homestead and Nicolet, two of the conference's top tennis programs.

Homestead won the contest, 6-1.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

Drews' title leads SHS harriers to third at HA meet; GT fourth

Sept. 10, 2009 9:44 p.m. | For Shorewood cross country runner Peter Drews and the rest of the division 2 state power Greyhounds, it doesn't matter what the size of the school is that they're competing against, just as long as they get a chance to beat them.

And for the third straight meet the Greyhounds came close to defeating some Division I powers, as behind Drews' individual title, they took a strong third in the 13-school Arrowhead Invitational Thursday evening.

"Our team motto is 'maximum effort'," said Drews. "We don't worry about what we can't control. If we win, so be it, but if we don't it's nice to be competitive."

That attitude is important to Shorewood coach Dominic Newman, whose team has lost to Division I state powers Marquette and Brookfield Central in previous meets and now to Waukesha West (78) and Arrowhead (85) tonight. The Greyhounds were right on the host Warhawks' heels with 87 in recording their first third to go with two seconds.

"It's part of our philosophy," Newman said. "...It's about where we'd like to be and where we think we can be. We have to be competitive with teams like Arrowhead, West and Germantown (fourth with 101) to show that we can rise to the occasion in the big meets when we have to."

In early showdown, HHS girls harriers beat state champion Bay

Sept. 10, 2009 7:46 p.m. | It's just the second week of September and its a long ways until state, but the Homestead girls cross country laid down an impressive gauntlet by beating defending WIAA champion and decade-long North Shore titlist Whitefish Bay to win the Arrowhead Invitational Thursday afternoon.

"This was an early test," said Highlander coach Victor Vilar of his team's second major meet championship in as many weeks, "and the girls responded well. They kept together and they hit their two-kilometer (2,000 meters) splits perfectly. They're ready to keep moving forward."

"But we're not going to be foolish about this. We know that they (the Blue Dukes) will be back. They're still the most respected team in the state."

Bay coach Mike Miller said the respect is nice, but noted he will be looking for better results soon.

"We have work to do," he said, "but I was encouraged and pleased with our packing. We looked more like a team than we did last weekend (when Bay won the Marshfield Invitational title). We were just a little too aggressive early today. That's something we can work on."

Nicolet vs. Whitefish Bay video preview now online

Sept. 09, 2009 8:54 a.m. | We've just posted NOW sportswriter Steven L. Tietz's video preview of Friday's North Shore Conference contest between Nicolet and Whitefish Bay.

Nicolet enters the game at 1-1 after a 28-6 victory over Kenosha St. Joseph last week. The host Blue Dukes are also 1-1 after a 33-0 victory over Slinger.

Watch Steven L. Tietz's preview of Nicolet at Whitefish Bay

Who will win the North Shore Conference? Vote in our poll.

DNR hosts Sept. 16 meeting on plans for Hank Aaron State Trail

Sept. 04, 2009 10:38 a.m. | People can get information about a proposed state recreation trail that would wind past the some of the Milwaukee area's biggest attractions during a public information session from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in West Allis.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials will discuss design and development details for the Hank Aaron State Trail, which runs from Miller Park to 94th Place. Development of the corridor is planned for 2010. A new bicycle and pedestrian bridge is planned for the crossing of Hawley Road. The path would also make its way past the National Soldiers Home, State Fair Park and the Pettit National Ice Center.

Using an open-house format, members of the public can stop in anytime during the two-hour session at West Allis City Hall, 7600 W. Greenfield Ave. to review project displays or ask questions. A brief presentation on the project is scheduled for 5:15 p.m.

North Shore Library Board gathering more information on possible expansion

Sept. 01, 2009 11:56 a.m. | The North Shore Library Board will gather more information on proposals for library expansion, following a closed session meeting of the governing bodies of Fox Point, Bayside, River Hills and Glendale. The four communities jointly own the library and met in closed session to hear a presentation on expansion.

Library Director Richard Nelson said the four boards did not meet in open session to discuss the proposals but had questions based on the closed session discussion.

"The Library Board has more homework to do," Nelson said.