Aveda Experience Center opens in Brookfield Square Mall
Aveda, national manufacturer and distributor of cosmetic products, has partnered with Milwaukee-based Neroli Salon and Spa to open the Aveda Experience Center retail store in Brookfield Square Mall.
The 1,500 square-foot store, located near the main entrance of the mall, opened on Black Friday. Plans for a formal grand opening are in the works.
The new Aveda Experience Center offers a series of "rituals of renewal" designed to relax and rejuvenate, including a hand and shoulder ritual used to relieve stress.
Complimentary tea and skin and hair consultations are also offered.
"Aveda Experience Center retail stores embody our high-touch service philosophy," said Catherine Culotta, Vice President of retail for Aveda. "Experience Centers are oases of stress relief where guests can relax with a moment of wellness, experience Aveda products and receive referrals to full-service salons and spas in their neighborhood."
» Read Full ArticleLooking for something to do this winter? Check out WhatNOW
Winter can feel pretty long in Wisconsin, especially once all the holiday hoopla is over.
In that spirit, MyCommunityNOW invites you to check out our special WhatNOW? section for some tips on how to stay busy this winter. You'll find a list of stories on interesting winter activities, a map of some great places to spend time this winter and more.
We also invite you to share your own ideas on what you like to do during the winter. Your comments may appear in a future issue of NOW newspapers.
Arrowhead falls to Brookfield Central
Arrowhead's boys basketball team hit 14 three-pointers, but it wasn't enough as Brookfield Central handed the Warhawks their first loss of the season in a 70-66 battle at the Al McGuire Center on Saturday.
Brookfield Central (6-1) never trailed in the second half, though Arrowhead pulled close at times. Dom Todarello's 3-pointer made it 59-57, but Central's Riley LaChance (22 points) converted on an old fashioned 3-point play with 1:23 to go to replenish the lead. The Lancers then hit 8 of 10 free throws in the final minute to lock the game down.
Peter Matiacci hit a trio of 3-pointers and finished with 11 points for Central. Elijah Goodman added 15 points.
Arrowhead (9-1) was led by Kyle Keranen's 12 points and D.J. Escamilla (10 points), who has almost completed his long journey back from a shoulder injury.
Brookfield police issue second warning about ongoing wallet thefts
The City of Brookfield Police Department is asking for the public's help in finding suspects in ongoing wallet thefts in the area.
According to a crime alert issued this week:
On Dec. 11, a woman’s wallet was stolen from a purse at Pick ‘n Save, 12735 W. Capitol Drive. Video surveillance showed a black man, 5 foot, 5 inches to 5-10, and 40- to 45-years-old in glasses and black woman, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7, and 35 to 40-years-old, both wearing black coats, using one of the stolen credit cards the same day at a Wauwatosa Target, 3900 N 124th St., to purchase three electronic tablets and other electronic items totaling more than $2,700. The couple had a toddler in a pink coat and hat in a shopping cart.
On Dec. 12, a purse containing credit cards was stolen from a locked minivan parked at the Brookfield Indoor Soccer Complex, 19485 W Lisbon Road. The suspect smashed the front passenger window of the van to gain access. Video surveillance showed a white man in a black jacket and baseball cap (pictured) using one of the stolen credit cards to buy two electronic tablets 20 minutes later at the same Wauwatosa Target.
The same suspect was seen on video surveillance using the same card to buy another electronic tablet at a West Allis Target, 2600 S 108th Street.
» Read Full ArticleHousekeeper accused of stealing jewelry from Brookfield home
Sapphire and oval citrine pendants are among the list of items a housekeeper is accused of stealing from a town of Brookfield home as she worked.
The 36-year-old West Allis woman, who works for local cleaning service, was arrested Nov. 20 after a homeowner accused her of stealing items from a jewelry box between August and November, according to a town of Brookfield police report.
The case is now being reviewed by the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office; no charges had been filed as of Tuesday's press deadline.
Also from the town police report:
The homeowner placed a small, white cloth inside the jewelry box before housekeepers arrived at her home. After noticing the white cloth in different positions after each visit, the homeowner began recording which items were present and which were missing after each visit. The homeowner called the business owner, who confronted the two housekeepers assigned to the home; both denied taking any of the items.
» Read Full ArticleSocial media users share images of today's snowfall
Snow. It's here, whether you're ready for it or not. And social media users shared a bunch of photos as it began to fall Tuesday.
Read the story and see the photos of snowfall today.
Visit Today's TMJ4 for more on today's snowfall and a winter storm watch later this week.
Court disbars Brookfield lawyer convicted of scam
In a formality, the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday revoked the law license of Thomas Bielinski, a Brookfield lawyer who ran a four-year fraud that netted him more than $500,000 from the Milwaukee County clerk of court's office.
Bielinski was sentenced in April to five years in prison.
He purported to represent the rightful owners of unclaimed funds kept by the clerk. He falsified notarizations, created fake companies, stole identities and forged altered court records. The fraud became his full-time job; he apparently had no other, legitimate law practice.
According to Tuesday's court ruling, Bielinski agreed to the findings of professional misconduct, and the sanction of license revocation. He would be eligible to seek reinstatement after five years.
NOW bloggers talk about Newtown shooting
There have been a lot of national gun-related shootings this year, but Friday's in Newtown, Conn., took the country by surprise perhaps more than any other.
And several of the NOW bloggers took up their virtual pens to share their thoughts on the latest tragedy.
- Tom Ceparski of Oak Creek writes of the conflict he feels being a father of a young girl and a gun owner.
- Tom Gaertner of Wauwatosa writes that he spent time cleaning his firearms after his hunting season.
- Lester Schultz of the North Shore believes it is time to do something about gun control.
- Karen Waldkirch of Wauwatosa says we need to look at ourselves in order to change the culture in America.
- Robin Zdroik of Greenfield thinks we should look inward to do the best that we can.
- Kevin Fischer of Franklin wonders what would happen if shooter Adam Lanza were alive.
- TJ Meyers-Jansky of West Allis reminds us that the shooting occurred because of human choices.
Meetings planned for prospective Elmbrook School Board candidates
The Elmbrook School District will host informational meetings for prospective School Board candidates at 8 a.m. Dec. 13 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Central Administration Offices, Room 133, 13780 Hope St.
The meetings will include information about candidacy, board members' commitments and district goals.
For information, call (262) 781-3030, Ext. 1140.
Germantown, Hamilton the top-ranked teams in NOW's Roundball Rankings
The defending Division 1 state champion Germantown boys basketball team has won 32 games in a row and finds itself atop the MyCommunityNOW/Lake Country Roundball Rankings.
The Hamilton Chargers are the top-ranked girls team and are coming off a 64-10 victory over West Allis Central in the Greater Metro Conference opener.
In addition to the top five boys and girls teams in the area, Roundball Rankings includes a player of the week, poll, area scoring leaders and more.
Kitchen fire heavily damages Brookfield home
A fire that apparently started near a kitchen stove and exhaust vent caused an estimated $88,000 in damage and forced three people to evacuate their home at 14830 San Marcos Drive on Tuesday afternoon.
It could have been worse, city of Brookfield Assistant Fire Chief David Mason said. "The house is not a total loss and the fire was contained to the kitchen area," Mason said.
Firefighters reported heavy smoke in the structure upon arrival and upgraded the fire to a first alarm. "The fire seemed to be in the floor and got into the walls," Mason said. "So we called for mutual aid for assistance."
The city of Brookfield Fire Department got help from crews in the town of Brookfield, Butler, Elm Grove, Pewaukee, Lisbon, and West Allis to assist in extinguishing the blaze and covering stations for additional calls.
All three occupants escaped without injury. There were working smoke detectors in the home. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Jim Farrell named Sunset Playhouse leader
Jim Farrell will be the Sunset Playhouse's next executive director, beginning in January, the Elm Grove theater announced in a statement released Tuesday.
Farrell has been development director of the Skylight Music Theatre since 2011. He had also worked in corporate and foundation relations for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
"I had a wonderful experience directing 'Six Degrees of Separation,' " Farrell said in the statement of his recent guest-directing stint at the Sunset. "Every time I set foot in that building there is an amazing sense of community, this place is brimming with positive energy and a sense of camaraderie."
Farrell succeeds Jonathan West, who left the Sunset in October to become communications director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Goodwill opening Brookfield store on Blue Mound Road
A Goodwill store will be opening in Brookfield, the first such store for that community.
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin Inc.'s plan for the store and donation drop-off center, at 18605 W. Blue Mound Road, was approved by the Plan Commission at its Monday night meeting. The Common Council will review the proposal at its Dec. 18 meeting.
Goodwill is buying the 21,000-square-foot building from a Chicago-area real estate investment group, with the purchase to close by the end of December, said Cheryl Lightholder, the nonprofit group's communications manager.
The building is now used by OfficeMax, which has two years remaining on its lease, with a renewal option, Lightholder said.
The timing for the Goodwill store opening depends on whether OfficeMax wants to continue to operate its store at the building, she said.
» Read Full ArticleRed Raiders take advantage of short-handed East
In the end Tosa East came alive on the boards and used a 16-2 run in the third and fourth period to rally for a 41-36 victory at home.
“It was a game of runs,” Spartans coach Matt Malett said. “You try to minimize theirs and maximize ours and they got us when it counted. We’re hobbled, but nobody feels sorry for us. The Greater Metro Conference isn’t going to feel bad for us. They are going to try to go for the jugular when they can.
“We scrapped, but we had 14 offensive rebounds given up. That’s not going to win in this conference.”
The Tosa East big men took over in the second half, Derrick Hurt on the boards and Ben Mihelich and Kyle Vnuk in the scoring column and it was too much for the Spartans to overcome.
With the Spartans leading 26-18 with 5:24 left in the third quarter, Vnuk hit a 3-pointer, Hurt drop in 1-of-2 free throws and Vnuk and Mihelich scored before Brookfield East’s Steven Tongas scored on a beautiful reverse layup to make it 28-26 after three.
But the Red Raiders weren’t through, as Mihelich opened the final period with a basket and a free throws, Hurt but in a rebound and Ben Carpenter nailed a 3-pointer to end the 16-2 run and put Tosa East up, 34-28,
A steal and a basket and a free throws by Wiesmueller and two free throws by McBride cut the lead to 36-33 with 35 seconds left before the game turned into a free-throw contest in the final 30 seconds.
“With a limited bench you’re going to wear down," Arndorfer said. "We wanted to come out endline to endline in the second half, hopefully wear them down, cut the lead and then see what happens in the fourth.”
“He’s a senior that wants it badly,” Malett said. “He’s one of the toughest kids around. No one can question his toughness. I applaud him for his effort tonight. So much of our offense is dependent on him. When he’s hobbled and the other team sees that they try to exploit that a little bit.”
Arndorfer also praised the Spartans senior point guard.
“What impresses me most is he’s always in control,” he said. “He never forces anything. He’s a true team player. I think he’s a guy who makes everyone else on his team better. Those are hard guys to find.
Brookfield Central takes seat at GMC table
Failure to buckle prisoner in nets officer 4-day suspension
The Brookfield Fire and Police Commission voted, 4-1, today to uphold a four-day suspension of an officer who failed to properly buckle a prisoner in a seatbelt in her squad car.
Andrew D. Schauer, attorney from Wisconsin Professional Police Association, said his client, officer Sarah Mork, will serve the suspension and is looking forward to moving on.
"Sarah and the association are disappointed with the commission's decision, but we fully respect the decision. It will be carried out as the commission orders, and Sarah looks forward to returning back to work, ready to serve and protect the citizens of Brookfield," Schauer said after the ruling. "The statutes provide for a circuit court appeal, which we will not be doing."
Chief Daniel Tushaus filed charges against Mork alleging she had engaged in "serious acts of misconduct warranting disciplinary action" earlier this year. She appealed, and the case was heard this week.
Packers' A.J. Hawk to sign autographs in Brookfield
Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk will sign autographs at the grand opening celebration of ATI Physical Therapy in Brookfield, located at 17500 W. Bluemound Road, Suite B, Dec. 11.
The celebration will kick off with a broadcast of ESPN Radio's Homer and Thunder show live from the clinic from 2:30 to 5 p.m. A.J. Hawk will be available for autographs from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
ATI, the Official Physical Therapy Provider of the Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers, is a provider of physical therapy and sports medicine services. ATI has 16 locations in Southeastern Wisconsin and more than 200 locations nationwide.
Azana Salon's interior changes pay tribute to fallen employees
Brookfield - Azana Salon and Spa clients entered a new normal when the salon reopened Saturday at 8 a.m.
The salon held a media walkthrough Friday to preview the new changes to the interior, which was completely destroyed when Radcliffe Haughton shot seven people and then set fire to the building on October 21.
Tami Gemmell, Azana's owner, said she and her employees are excited about the changes and are ready to start fresh.
"We have all been committed to the healing process," Gemmell said. "This is our home away from home."
The new interior was designed by Gemmell's sister, Viki Murray. Murray designed the salon when it first opened 13 years ago and said she felt she was the only one who could handle the job of redesigning her sister's salon after the tragedy.
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