BuySeasons expansion plan wins New Berlin Plan Commission approval
Online costume seller BuySeasons Inc.'s plan to add around 135,000 square feet to its 358,000-square-foot building at 5915 S. Moorland Road, New Berlin, has won unanimous approval from the city Plan Commission.
The commission's Monday night recommendation to approve rezoning a neighboring parcel to accommodate the northward expansion goes to the Common Council on Oct. 12, said Nikki Jones, of the Department of Community Development.
Going Home and Homecoming
Have you heard about our alligator?
About 2 weeks ago an actual alligator was caught in Big Muskego Lake and transported to HAWS. While not the kind of "stray" we usually see, it wasn't completely unheard of here. Exotics have their own fans, but most homes and people don't have the right housing for an animal that starts as small as 8" and can grow and grow and grow. This particular 'gator was about 3 years of age and had already grown to at least 3 ft. - hard to keep THAT in an aquarium.
So where did it come from? No, it isn't a native species - no need to add that to your list of worries. And most assuredly it wouldn't have lasted the winter if not caught as it was. He was pretty healthy when he got to HAWS, but already getting chilled from our cooler September temps. So most likely Mr. Gator hadn't been in the lake too very long.
We'll never know exactly how he got into the lake, but we can guess.
Our friends at the U of Illinois and Greater Chicago Herpetological Society tell us that they fish about 100 or so alligators out of the Chicago River and area waterways. Most often these are pets that were purchased as babies - under 12" and not even weighing a pound - by someone who thought it "would be cool to have a pet that no one else has." Well, there's a reason no one else them as pets: they aren't a domestic creature, and unless you live in a zoo or have vast experience with exotics, chances are you don't have the environment or means to meet their needs.
So what happens to the "cool" pet when it gets too big? It gets dumped to fend for itself. Bad idea.
This guy lucked out - our U of I friends will transport him to a southern state and more appropriate habitat. He's gone home.
But let this be an educational moment:
(1) Do your homework before getting ANY pet - really understand what you're getting in to!
(1a) Adopt from HAWS - we've got a great selection of adoptable pets and lots of resources and helpful people to make your relationship with your pet a long-term success.
(2) If you can't keep your pet, call someone - like US at HAWS - rather than just letting your pet go. We're here to help and we've got lots of friends and resources, too!
By the way - HAWS Homecoming is October 16th - get your tickets today! And you don't have to attend our event to buy raffle tickets for our Big Game TV raffle - tickets are available at HAWS today. For only $20 you'll get a chance to win a 42" LG flat screen TV. Now THAT'S a game worth playing!
Goodbye Mr. Maley and Best Wishes
Community NOW editor Mark Maley sent NOW bloggers an email this week informing us that he is no longer with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/Community Newspapers, and no longer affiliated with the MyCommunityNOW.com Web sites.
Explains Mr. Maley in his email: “After 16 years with the Journal, I have decided to take a position with Patch.com, a subsidiary of AOL that is building 500 local news web sites around the nation and will soon be coming to Wisconsin.”
Congratulations to Both Award Recipients
The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation awards fellowships in the amount of $1,000 each year to one hundred Wisconsin teachers. Additionally, each recipient’s school receives a $1000 grant.
The Foundation’s Web site also conveys:
The Holidays are Coming!
We'll take a break for a moment from planning for this weekend's HAWS Homecoming event (you've heard about HAWS Homecoming, right?) to tell you about another neat upcoming HAWS event.
Holiday Pet Photos are coming!
No, we haven't even celebrated Halloween yet, but when you use pictures of your pet(s) for your Holiday Greeting cards and whatnot, you need them early. So, think snow for a few minutes, get Fido and Fluffy all gussied up in their Winter finery, and c'mon over for a professional portrait.
Here's all the "poop" you need to know:
- Pictures will be taken by members of the Unlimited Vision photography club, with all proceeds from the photos supporting the animals, programs and services at HAWS. This is a Friends of HAWS-sponsored event!
- Appointments are available on both Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.
- The $30 fee includes the photography sitting, one (1) 8”x10” print and two (2) 5”x7” prints. Pet owners will receive a CD of their photos for an additional donation of $5.
- To reserve their session, pet owners should contact HAWS at 262-542-8851. Sittings will be in 15 minute increments.
By the way - did you really think we'd let this blog end without another plug for Homecoming? It is coming up this Saturday, October 16th - and you can still purchase tickets by calling us at 262-542-8851, x112. Don't forget, too, that you can buy raffle tickets at HAWS for the 42" flat screen TV we'll be giving away at the event. Need not be present to win...but we'd love for you to join us! (Hint, hint!)
Sendik's opens Thursday in New Berlin
The Balistreri-owned Sendik's chain will open its ninth location with a ribbon-cutting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at 3600 S. Moorland Road in New Berlin.
The 44,000-square-foot store is in the newly-renamed Sendik's New Berlin Plaza shopping center. The store is in a space most recently occupied by the Lang outlet store. Lang moved earlier this year to a smaller location at the Plaza center on W. Blue Mound Road at N. Calhoun Road.
Ridge Cinema's New Berlin Community Food Drive
The Marcus Ridge Cinema, 5200 S. Moorland Road in New Berlin, is hosting a food drive this month to benefit the New Berlin Food Pantry. Each person who brings in four non-perishable food items through October 31, 2010, will be entered into a drawing for a Dinner and a Movie prize package. The winner will receive four tickets to the movie of his/her choice at the Ridge Cinema, an Ultra Combo, and a $20 gift certificate to Crossroads II Pizza and Subs in New Berlin which was generously donated by the restaurant.
In addition, the Ridge Cinema partnered with 10 New Berlin businesses. The businesses are collecting food items from their associates and several are collecting from their customers. The business partners in this endeavor include:
- Texas Road House, New Berlin
- Crossroads II, New Berlin
- Goodwill, New Berlin
- Stonefire Pizza, New Berlin
- Holiday Inn Express, New Berlin
- Starbucks, Moorland and National—New Berlin
- Layton State Bank, New Berlin
- Applebees, New Berlin
- Citizens Bank of Mukwonago, New Berlin
- Domino’s Pizza, New Berlin
What's so special about October?
Like so many months October is filled with important events, mundane days, silly days and historical days. It’s the month of Harvest and celebrations of “October fests,” football and the never-ending baseball series. Most of all, especially here in Wisconsin, we’ve been blessed with wonderful weather. A fantastic entree to the coming winter months.
Here are a few celebrations and events making up the rest of our October Calendar:
New Berlin Fire Department Selling Breast Cancer Awareness T-Shirts
To support Breast Cancer Awareness, the New Berlin Fire Department is selling pink breast cancer awareness t-shirts. Shirts cost $10.00 each. $5.00 of every shirt sold will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for a Cure Foundation. Shirts can be purchased at the New Berlin Fire Department Adminstration offices M-F 8am-4:30pm 16300 W. National Ave. Phone Number 262-785-6120.
New Berlin Fire Department 2010 Charitable/Fundraising Events at a Glance
New Berlin Firefighters participated in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb on March 30th. The team of five which included Dan Rohde, Ben Ziolecki, Matt Santi, and Josh Roeglin had to climb 97 flights of stairs to the top of the tallest building in
Community CPR/AED Classes Provided by the New Berlin Fire Department
Did you know that less than 1/3 of all pre-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR? Did you know that less than 8% of people who suffer from cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive? There's a way to change these statistics. Become a lifesaver and learn CPR! The City of New Berlin Fire Department offers the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED class. It is shown that effective bystander CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim's chance of survival. This class teaches the basic techniques of adult and child/infant CPR and the use of an AED. You will learn about using barrier devices in CPR and giving first aid for choking.
The cost of the class is $40.00 per person non-refundable. This fee includes a textbook and a two year certification card. Classes will be held at the New Berlin Public Safety Building. The New Berlin Fire Department can also teach CPR at your business, organization, special group, church or school. To register or inquire about getting trained in CPR, please contact the New Berlin Fire Department at (262)785-6120.
New Berlin Police named "Organization of the Year" by Wisconsin Special Olympics
New Berlin Police Department Receives “Organization of the Year” Award from Wisconsin Special Olympics and Asks for Your Support for an Upcoming Fundraiser
November 2, 2010
What will Tuesdays vote bring? There is a ton of speculation and outright display of absoluteness in some of the prognostications forced on us. through campaign polling.. Tuesday will give us the answer to what the common man in America really wants.
The bewildering onslaught of television, radio and robo-calls directed at the voting public causes one to wonder at the effectiveness of the messages. Most of us are in agreement that descriptions of Washington today are that government is too big and too much. Yet each new message brought to us indicates what a candidate will do "for us." Trouble with that message is that we know too well what many of them will do for us, and to us. Government cannot solve all our problems, nor should it.
Taxes/Levy, Annual Meeting
In the news recently:
At the request of the New Berlin Common Council, the mayor delivered a 2011 City budget with a zero tax- rate increase
The Kids are Definitely Alright
On Wednesday I joined HAWS' Mobile Adoptions Coordinator Lisa on a field trip to Arrowhead High School. As you may have read in a past blog, the AHS DECA students decided to raise money and awareness for HAWS as part of their homecoming celebration, "Hawkfest."
The students and their faculty advisor presented HAWS with a check for $2000! Pictured at left are several of the DECA members, their faculty advisor Steve, HAWS adoptable puppy Trick and Lisa - gladly accepting this truly "big" check.
We are honored and excited to work with groups on events - the Arrowhead DECA group being a shining example of what can be accomplished. The students did all the "heavy lifting" so to speak - as Lisa said, we just showed up at Hawkfest with our adoptables and had a great time!
Thank you, Arrowhead High School DECA students for making us a part of your 2010 Hawkfest. You did a phenomenal job with your event and we were proud to join in the fun. Moms and dads, the kids are more than alright - they're awesome. Just ask us at HAWS and we'll attest. Youth rocks!
By the way - if you'd like to do a "fun"draiser for HAWS or have the Mobile Adoptions Center visit your business, event, festival or meeting, please contact us. Lisa can be reached at mobile@hawspets.org or at 262-542-8851, x201. Be sure to schedule early...dates are filling quickly.
Good news for voters
Are you getting uptight about voting in a crowded polling place on Tuesday?
Absentee ballots are a way out. If you are interested in this solution, you still have a final chance to vote in the City Clerk’s office at City Hall Monday, Nov. 1. The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which is 30 minutes later than normal City Hall hours.
