Community

MADISON–A 19-year-old Madison man who robbed two Middleton banks at gunpoint during and nine bank robbery spree last year, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 11 years in prison and ordered to make restitution of $49,582.

Kiefah A. Marbra pled guilty earlier this year in connection with the Feb. 19, 2018 robbery of Associated Bank on Allen Blvd. and the Feb. 22, 2018 robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank on University Ave.

Marbra was indicted last May with his uncle, Jonathan Thompson, 30, of Madison, and Robert Minette, 31, of Shakopee, MN. 

Thompson was considered the leader of the robbery spree. He selected the banks, sent either Marbra or Minette in to hold them up and drove the getaway car back to his apartment where the proceeds were divided up.

Minette held up only the first two banks, located on Madison’s east side. He pleaded guilty to robbery charges and was sentenced last month to nine years in prison.

MIDDLETON–James ‘Moose’ Werner who’s owned the Club Tavern at 1915 Branch St. for 39 years officially sold the business Monday. The Club Tavern is known for live music, Cajun food, volleyball and supporting local charities.

The bar was purchased by Dale Beck, who owns the restaurant and bar North of the Bayou, on Madison's East Side, and two other bars. Moose plans to continue catering at Club Tavern and Beck’s other bars.

He said Beck will be doing some remodeling and repairs, but the staff and operations will stay the same. Long standing employee Mike Hart will take over for Moose.

“He’s been my righthand man forever and he’s the one that is going to be taking over the operation,” Moose said. “It’s going to become Mikey’s place and that man is going to make them forget about Moose in a heartbeat.”

Moose said he is confident any change will be for the better.

CROSS PLAINS–Citizens of Cross Plains saw a need for leadership to promote exercise and healthy living in the village, and in response, the LIFE (Lifestyle Initiative for Fitness Empowerment) Foundation was founded. The LIFE Foundation is a community-based non-profit organization with a mission to improve health by decreasing obesity via improving nutrition and increasing physical activity within a local safe environment to ultimately lower obesity-related disease risk. Jane Busch, Briana Swanson, Dr. Dan Jarzemsky and others founded the LIFE Foundation initiative in 2013 to respond to a perceived deficit of health promotion and wellness in the community.

MIDDLETON–The City of Middleton and Dane County are working collaboratively on a planned reconstruction of University Avenue from just west of Park Street to Cayuga Boulevard. Weather permitting, we anticipate a full closure of east- and westbound traffic on this stretch from Monday, April 22, until Thursday, July 4. More details will be forthcoming soon, but we wish to get public notice out now to inform the general public. Access for residents will be made and cross access at Bristol and Parmenter Streets will be accommodated throughout most of the project. However, delays are likely, and we ask for your patience. A detour will be posted.

MADISON–Democratic, presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders, will hold a rally in Madison this week.

Sanders will be at James Madison Park at 5 p.m. on April 12. Tickets are not needed for the event, and it is free and open to the public on a first come first served basis.

Sanders was narrowly beat in the primaries by Hillary Clinton, who became the party nominee in 2016. He is the current frontrunner in the 2020 field for the Democratic nomination. 

MIDDLETON–On April 6, Century Ave. will be closed to through traffic between Old Creek Rd. and Branch St. Local access to driveways will be maintained. The closure is planned from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. and is required for both worker and public safety during excavation to install a deep sanitary sewer lateral to the new Stagecoach Trail Apartments at 6620 Century Ave.

KMS Excavating will be performing the work. In consultation with Dane County Highways and the City of Middleton and considering also the needs of weekday Madison Metro routes on Century Ave., the city decided a Saturday would be the best option for this road closure.

WESTPORT–At 4 a.m. on April 3, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Kwik Trip at 5420 Willow Rd. in the Town of Westport.  

Two individuals broke out a window of the business and attempted to remove the ATM but were unsuccessful. They fled in a vehicle before law enforcement arrived.  Evidence was collected at the scene by the Dane County Crime Scene Unit. Sheriff’s Office detectives are working with the countywide Burglary Crime Unit, as it is believed this crime is connected to other similar incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Dane County tip line at 608-284-6900.

MIDDLETON–On March 24, three girls were approached by a man at Stricker’s Pond, who took their picture after asking permission. The man asked for the girls’ names and claimed to be with the Middleton Cross Plains Times-Tribune. 

He is described as a tall, thin, white male in his 50s or 60s, and had a medium sized, black dog with a docked tail and wearing a blue coat with him. The man is not affiliated with the newspaper. Our reporters should have a press pass with them when they are out in public. If you are in doubt about whether they are from the newspaper, please ask to see their press pass.

ESCONDIDO, CA–Henry Avocado Corporation is voluntarily recalling California-grown whole avocados sold in bulk at retail stores because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Henry Avocado is issuing this voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution due to positive test results on environmental samples taken during a routine government inspection at its California packing facility. There are no reported illnesses associated with this recall. 

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

MIDDLETON–Scores of people came through the red doors at Gilda’s Club on March 14 to celebrate the re-opening of the respite facility that received extensive damage from the August 2018 floods. 

Guests toured all three floors of the facility, which offers emotional support to cancer patients, and is named after comedienne and Saturday Night Live alumna, Gilda Radner, who fought a battle with ovarian cancer. The idea of the facility is to highlight the positive and sprinkle laughter into cancer recovery, offering support groups, yoga, art and fitness.

After the flooding, which caused over a million dollars in damage to the building located at 7907 UW Health Ct, Middleton, several businesses opened their doors to provide a place for Gilda’s Club to continue operating.