Local

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council held a special meeting Nov. 10 to make final budget deliberations before voting to approve the budget at its Nov. 15 meeting. The proposed budget calls for a $20.5 million tax levy which would reduce the tax rate by about 14 percent.

Finance Director Bill Burns reviewed the major changes from last year's budget. Burns points out that 2022 was a property revaluation year which resulted in the total assessed value for the city increasing by 23.9 percent. That means the assessed value of the median single-family home increased from $336,100 to $414,400 or about 23 percent. The mill rate would be reduced from $6.25 per $1,000 of property value to $5.37 per $1,000.

MIDDLETON–The City of Middleton Plan Commission approved the final plat and specific building plans for phase one of the proposed Belle Farm development. The approvals passed with various contingencies that must be addressed before being approved by the common council.

The Belle Farm general building plan proposes a community development with more than 800 homes and multifamily units on 44 acres at 4887 Parmenter St. north of Graber Pond. The project would extend Belle Fontaine Boulevard from High Road to Parmenter Street creating a “main street” through the development with storefront commercial spaces.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–Voters in the Town of Middleton waited in long lines, sometimes nearing three hours, when casting their ballots last week.

Those that waited said that people in line were patient, courteous and friendly to one another during the wait, but they also want to know how this happened, and what measures can be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Steve Kurr who has lived in the Town of Middleton since 2005 timed his wait with his son, which clocked in at two hours and 55 minutes. “I have never waited more than 10 minutes,” he said of previous voting experiences in the town.

Kurr said he was surprised by the wait but added that it was worth it.

“We feel it is important to vote and vote every time,” he said.

He said he didn’t witness anyone leave, but he said people were good about saving spots for others when they left the line and allowing elderly and disabled voters to go ahead of them in line.

MADISON - A Madison man who killed two Middleton High School and a Madison High School student when he drove into their car was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years in prison and 12 years extended supervision.

Eric N. Mehring, 31, was driving 60 miles an hour on Mineral Point Road last October when his car rear ended a car in which John “Jack” Miller, 17, and Evan Kratochwill, 18, of Middleton and Simon Bilessi, 17, a Madison West High School student.

Mehring had a blood-alcohol concentration of .214 percent after the crash, well above the prohibited level of .08 percent.

Mehring was driving east bound on Mineral Point Road after drinking at two bars in Pine Bluff.

He pleaded guilty in July to three counts of homicide by intoxicated use a vehicle.

At sentencing, family members of the teens gave emotional statements about the loss of their loved ones.

MIDDLETON–On Nov. 15 at approximately 1:49 p.m., Middleton Police Officers responded to a crash at Le Nails Salon, 6771 University Ave. Calls to 911 reported that a vehicle had just crashed into the building.

Upon investigating the crash, officers learned that a driver was parking in front of the business when her boot became stuck between the gas and brake pedals while parking. The vehicle then crashed through the glass-panel wall, where it came to a stop.

One employee inside the nail salon was injured and transported by Middleton EMS to a local Emergency Room. The driver was uninjured.

The Middleton Fire Department assisted in securing the building after the car was removed.

TOWN OF MIDDLEON–A 16-year-old Middleton High School Student from the Town of Middleton was robbed at gunpoint and carjacked on Monday night in the lower parking lot at Pope Farm Conservancy.

According to the father of the teen who spoke to the Times-Tribune on the condition of anonymity, the crime occurred around dusk at 5 p.m. when the young man was leaving the park after a hike.

He told his father that after he got in the vehicle two young men, estimated to be between the ages of 16-20, a Black male and the other whose race is unknown, approached the car and one held the driver’s side door shut while the second got into the back seat behind the driver’s seat.

“My son then heard the distinct sound of a slide being racked on a semi-automatic handgun (to chamber a round), and then the offender immediately demanded my son’s keys, wallet, smartphone, credit card, etc. My son was then instructed to leave the vehicle and walk away,” the father wrote in an email.

WISCONSIN–Record turnout in Dane County and around the country caused long wait times, sometimes hours long, at polling place around the country, including the Town of Middleton and City of Middleton, voters will wait a bit longer for a winner in the US Senate race between Democrat Mandela Barnes and Republican Ron Johnson (I). At press time Wednesday morning, the race had still not been called as only 31,203 votes separated the candidates with 98 percent of precincts in the state reporting.

In the US House of Representatives District 2 seat, Democrat Mark Pocan (I) easily defeated Republican Erik Olson and Independent Douglas Alexander bringing in 71 percent of votes to Olson 26.9 percent and Alexander’s two percent.

Close races were seen in state offices as well, including the governor’s race in which Democrat Tony Evers (I) held on to the state’s highest office over Republican Tim Michels, 51.1 percent to 47.9 percent.

MIDDLETON–The City of Middleton Plan Commission reviewed two concept proposals for multifamily and mixed use developments in Greenway Station. The plan commission also set a public hearing for a proposed residential community development at Acker Farm with up to 893 dwelling units.

The plan commission set a public hearing on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. for rezoning to planned development district (PDD) and general implementation plan (GIP) for a major residential development at Acker Farm.

High Road Development Company is proposing a residential community with up to 893 dwelling units featuring a variety of housing types, parkland, and limited commercial uses on 128 acres located between High Road and Pheasant Branch Road. The project requires annexation and rezoning from county agriculture zoning.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council reviewed the annual report from the city-school district partnership program the Middleton Youth Center, which serves students in fifth to eighth grade. Youth center director Gabrielle Hinahara presented the report to the council giving insight to the latest programming changes at the center.

Hinahara said over the last year there’s been a return of several programs that were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic including the mentoring program.

“We were able to partner up 22 of our students with adult youth center staff members who met with them weekly during their school day during study hall or lunch hours working on a lot of different social-emotional, mental health and academic skills,” Hinahara said. 

The youth center administered a survey at the end of the school year last year for students who participated in the mentoring program, Hinahara said.

MIDDLETON–The Downtown Middleton Business Association will be bringing back the Downtown Middleton Spooky Stroll, an annual trick or treating event that was on hiatus for three years due to the pandemic.

The event will be held October 28 from 1-3 p.m. Costumes are encouraged for adults as well as children. Share your photos on social media and tag #DowntownMiddleton #SpookyStroll for a chance at a prize. Gift certificate prizes will be awarded for Best Overall Costume, Best Kid Costume, Best Homemade Costume and Best Family/Duo/Group Costume.

More than 20 businesses will participate in the event, and locations include:

Barriques

Cloth & Metal Boutique

DG Salon

DINYs Jewelers

Hubbard Avenue Diner

Isthmus Eye Care

John/Christine Design

Journeyman Co

Little Pop Color Shop

Longtable Beer Cafe

Mane Hair Company

MB Opera House

Middleton Historical Society