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Kenosha News Week in Review

Have you had a busy week and lost track of what's going on? Kenosha News editors suggest the following articles to catch up:

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Cool weather, high gas prices forecast for holiday weekend

Looking to celebrate this holiday weekend? Pack a sweater.

Memorial Day weekend is the kickoff of the summer season, and it usually includes barbecue, outdoor events and maybe a trip Up North.

Employers, job seekers find a match at career expo

SOMERS — Employers and job seekers tried to mesh needs with skills Wednesday at a state-sponsored exposition at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

The Southeast Wisconsin Career Expo was a first for the Kenosha County Division of Workforce Development, which played host to the event along with Walworth and Racine counties. It is the third regional event over the last year sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Bipartisan effort saves funding for county support services

A bipartisan effort in Madison is helping Kenosha County maintain programs for struggling families and children.

The Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously to support Income Maintenance Programs for the county, with the state providing $1.5 million over two years for Division of Children and Family services.

Police nab shooting suspect

Lamarkous D. Washington, one of two suspects in the attempted murders of two men last week in Kenosha, was arrested Wednesday night in the Milwaukee area and was being transported to the Kenosha County Jail.

Kenosha Police Department Chief John Morrissey said a $500,000 bond has been ordered for Washington.

Attorney: ‘Evil in him,’ Ealy told police after murder

WAUKEGAN, ILL. — Seven years after Mary Hutchison was killed, the man police say strangled and stabbed her has gone to trial.

James Ealy, 48, was a former employee of the Burger King in Lindenhurst, Ill., where Hutchison was a manager. Early one morning, after Ealy was no longer employed at the restaraunt, police say he came in, stole money from the safe and killed his former boss. Ealy has been charged with first-degree murder, and he faces life in prison if convicted.

Benefit goes bust when cashbox is stolen

Everything was going well Friday night, just the way teenagers Chris Wynne, Diamond Hartwell and Daniel Dieterich hoped it would when the three Harborside Academy students put together a band-o-rama as their senior community service project.

“Except for the money being stolen, it was a great event. We had a lot of fun,” Hartwell said Monday.

Interstate resurfacing to close lanes from Hwy. 142 to KR

A resurfacing project will bring more lane closures to Interstate 94 in Kenosha County starting next week.

The portion of the freeway between highways 142 and KR will receive a new surface in lieu of an expansion, which a local highway official said the state has now delayed indefinitely.

Unified debates 12 percent health contribution for employees

Tempers flared at a Kenosha Unified School Board meeting Tuesday night as its members deliberated a health care proposal from WEA Trust that calls for a 12 percent contribution for district employees beginning July 1.

Board members voted 5-1 for the proposal, however, with the condition that a special meeting be held June 3 to further discuss and possibly act on additional information, including how much the district would save given the proposed contribution or if other alternatives exist to modify it.

Alligator found loose in Kenosha and captured

An alligator was found loose in Kenosha late Sunday night and was captured.

A Kenosha resident reported seeing a large lizard in the 4600 block of 19th Place around 11 p.m. on Sunday, according to Kenosha police reports. He was able to take a photo of the animal, and police determined it was an alligator.

After years of delays, Ealy trial begins

After numerous delays over the course of nearly eight years, jury selection began Monday for the murder trial of James Ealy, accused of killing a Trevor woman seven years ago.

Mary Hutchison was beaten and strangled in the Nov. 27, 2006, attack. She was the manager of a Burger King in Lindenhurst, Ill. She was found stabbed and strangled with her uniform’s bow tie. Money was missing from the restaurant safe.

Home sales strong, though prices continue to decline

Real estate sales in Kenosha County are up strongly over last year, but the median sales price continues to decline.

According to data from the Wisconsin Realtors Association, home sales in the county have increased nearly 22 percent through April, compared with the same time last year.

Council adopts directive on aldermen contacts

Aldermen must keep most of their requests and directives away from rank-and-file city workers, under a measure the Kenosha City Council adopted Monday night.

The vote in favor of Alderman Patrick Juliana’s resolution was 13-3, but the hour-plus debate would have suggested a greater divide on the issue.

Rebuilding of 60th Street tops city’s roadwork plans

Sam Ali’s pain this summer will be the rest of Kenosha’s gain, come fall.

Ali’s business, Westown Foods, 3203 60th St., is located in the midst of one of Kenosha’s major street construction projects this year, a resurfacing of 60th Street between 30th and 39th avenues.

Holy Rosary nun celebrates 50 years

After 50 years of her commitment to her faith, Sister Lucille Puntillo was recognized by multiple generations of her community on Sunday.

Puntillo celebrated her 50th anniversary as a Franciscan Sister of St. Joseph on Sunday during a golden jubilee at Holy Rosary, 2224 45th St.

Organizers hope new features ramp up ChocolateFest attendance

BURLINGTON — ChocolateFest 2013 will be both gooey and groovy.

“Peace, Love and Chocolate” is the theme for the 27th annual festival, Friday through Monday. The four-day event in Chocolate City USA, home to Nestle Foods, has generated roughly $2 million for local nonprofit groups since its inception.

State panel cuts roadwork to close budget gap

MADISON (AP) — The Legislature’s budget-writing committee voted unanimously Thursday to delay some freeway projects and cut funding for others, as part of an effort to close a $54 million deficit in Wisconsin’s roads fund that was prompted by a drop in gas-tax revenue.

The Joint Finance Committee voted to postpone freeway work in the Milwaukee area and scale back road aid to local governments. It also agreed to delay reconstruction work on a portion of Milwaukee’s Zoo Interchange. Those efforts alone are expected to save about $33 million.

Panel passes food stamp work requirement

MADISON (AP) — The Legislature’s budget committee on Tuesday approved Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal requiring that able-bodied adults on Wisconsin’s food stamps program to spend at least 20 hours a week working or getting trained for a job.

Democrats, who voted unanimously against it, called the move a mean-spirited attack on poor people. Republicans, who hold a 12-4 majority on the committee, all supported it as a way to help make people on the program become more self-sufficient.

Education standards spur talk

MADISON — Education standards adopted in Wisconsin and 44 other states are either a rigorous benchmark that will improve student performance, or they’re a dangerous intrusion on local control masterminded by the federal government, speakers said at a joint legislative hearing Wednesday.

The divergent opinions offered by right-leaning think tanks came as lawmakers on the Senate and Assembly education committees looked to learn more about the Common Core Standards adopted in Wisconsin three years ago.

Legislature panel passes food stamp work requirement

Wis. police become more aggressive with redaction

By DINESH RAMDE

Associated Press

Bill would bar employers from requiring flu shots

MADISON (AP) — Wisconsin employers, including hospitals, nursing homes and other health care agencies, could no longer require workers to get flu shots under a bill pending in the Legislature.

Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, said he began drafting the legislation after several hospital workers and health care contractors in his district complained they were fired after refusing to be vaccinated.

Walker signs layoff alternative bill

MADISON (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker on Friday signed into law a bill creating a program that gives employers an alternative to laying off employees when work slows.

Under the program, instead of laying off a few workers, hours for groups of employees would be reduced. Those affected could collect unemployment, paid for by the federal government. The employer also would be required to maintain retirement plans and health insurance coverage.

State gains 62,000 jobs over first two years of Walker’s term

MADISON (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker’s administration reported Thursday that Wisconsin added more than 62,000 private sector jobs over the first two years of his term, less than a quarter of the 250,000 he promised to create by 2015.

The Department of Workforce Development released the new figures, which can’t be compared to other states until next month. Walker released the figures before they are published officially on June 27 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Kings open season on Saturday

KENOSHA — The Kenosha Kings semi-pro baseball team will kick off its 2013 season with a non-league doubleheader against the Romeoville Royals at 1 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Field.

The Kings’ 25-man roster consists of current and ex-college players and ex-professional players. The team plays in both the Frank Langsdorf League, where it has won the championship in the last six seasons, and the Wisconsin State League, where it was last year’s runner-up.

Tremper wins softball regional title

KENOSHA — Just try to outslug the Tremper softball team.

Marisa Steinmetz and Courtney Reeves continued their onslaught on high school pitching as the Trojans pounded visiting South Milwaukee, 11-2, in a WIAA Division-1 regional final on Friday.

St. Joseph makes it two years in a row as regional softball champs

KENOSHA — Leading 4-0 after four innings, the St. Joseph softball team held on for a 6-5 victory over Greendale Martin Luther in a WIAA Division-3 regional final on Friday at UW-Parkside’s Case Complex.

It is the second regional title in a row for the Lancers, who also beat Martin Luther in a regional final last year.

No repeat for Carthage’s James

Trevor James was unable to defend his high jump title in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday.

The Carthage junior finished in a tie for 14th place out of 20 competitors with a height of 6 feet, 63/4 inches at UW-La Crosse’s Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.

Soccer roundup: Second-ranked Waunakee tops Tremper

Waunakee scored two goals in each half of its 4-1 non-conference victory over Tremper on Friday night at Ameche Field.

The Warriors, ranked second in Division-1 in the latest Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association state poll, scored in the seventh and 19th minutes after Tremper didn’t clear corner kicks.

Local players make state tennis tourney as extra qualifiers

The high school tennis season will continue for two more Kenosha County doubles teams.

Indian Trail’s Noah Bloedorn and Kurtis Larson (8-2) and St. Joseph’s Nate McKeon and Pete McKeon (12-5) were added to the Division-2 field as special qualifiers for next week’s WIAA State Individual Tournament, the WIAA announced on Friday.

Baseball roundup: Hawks in first postseason victory

Thanks to a victory in its first-ever postseason game, the Indian Trail baseball team clinched a winning record in its first varsity season on Friday.

Manny Santana and Andy Blank teamed up for a four-hitter as the third-seeded Hawks topped sixth-seeded Racine Lutheran, 3-1, in a WIAA Division-2 regional quarterfinal at Indian Trail.

Central softball team wins regional title

The Central softball began its quest for a return to the state tournament with a convincing victory on Thursday.

The top-ranked Falcons drubbed Burlington 11-0 in Paddock Lake in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division-1 regional championship game.

Tremper girls sweep through track sectional

WATERFORD — ToNaya Gulley and Danielle Riggins aren’t merely happy to qualify for the WIAA Division-1 State Track and Field Meet.

The Tremper juniors are going there to win titles. And they’re aiming to set records in the process.

Early flurry propels Bradford past Beloit Memorial

The Bradford soccer team scored three goals in the first 17 minutes in defeating Beloit 5-1 in a non-conference game in the regular-season finale at Ameche Field on Thursday night.

Maja Romanovic had two goals and two assists while Deven Jackson finished with a pair of goals and one assist.

Baseball roundup: St. Joseph opens playoff with shutout

Tyler Salmons pitched a complete-game three-hitter in the third-seeded St. Joseph baseball team’s 1-0 victory over sixth-seeded Whitefish Bay Dominican in a WIAA Division-3 regional quarterfinal on Thursday at Simmons Field.

Salmons threw 118 pitches (73 strikes) while walking three and striking out 10. All three Dominican hits were singles.

Softball roundup: Red Devils rip Knights

The Bradford softball team appears to be peaking at the perfect time.

Makenzie Walker pitched a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and was backed by flawless defense and plenty of offense in slaughtering visiting Oak Creek, 10-0, in six innings in a WIAA Division-1 regional final on Thursday.

Hawks’ debut highlights local efforts in track sectional

Indian Trail boys track and field coach Brian Vanderhoef believed success would eventually come for his first-year program. He just never envisioned it would happen this quickly.

Indian Trail’s Arian Griffin and Mike Roach each qualified for WIAA Division-1 State Meet in four events in leading a strong local contingent at the 17-team sectional Thursday at Waterford.

Carswell does it again

Tremper senior tennis player John Carswell will take a perfect record into next week’s WIAA Individual State Tournament in Madison.

Carswell captured his fourth consecutive sectional championship at No. 1 singles with three convincing straight-set victories in Wednesday’s WIAA Division-1 sectional at the East Side Tennis Club in Racine. The sectional was originally slated to be played at Racine Case and Horlick, but inclement weather moved the event indoors.