Judge rules Germantown woman can be charged in overdose death

March 19, 2010 12:08 p.m. | Port Washington — Kimberly S. Sell of Germantown frequently supplied Kati Lynn Hammen and her fiancé with methadone in the two years before Hammen's death in December of a drug overdose, the fiancé, Brad Baumann, testified Friday in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

The Fredonia couple paid Sell $52 for 13 methadone pills on Dec. 20, Baumann testified. Hammen, 21, and Baumann, 20, each ingested five of the pills immediately after leaving Sell's residence, he said.

Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams ruled Friday that there is probable cause to charge Sell, 38, of Germantown, with first-degree reckless homicide by selling methadone to Hammen and Baumann the day before the woman died.

At a preliminary hearing Friday, Baumann testified he found Hammen unresponsive the morning of Dec. 21 at their Fredonia apartment.

Toxicology tests of Hammen's blood found sufficient methadone to have killed her, testified Brian Peterson, deputy chief medical examiner for Milwaukee County, who performed an autopsy.

Village to get $94,000 in deal with Waste Management

March 16, 2010 12:32 p.m. | Although Waste Management representatives bore the brunt of the Village Board's frustration at being locked out of landfill tipping fee discussions, they were able to strike a deal that could generate about $94,000 the village.

The operations will open in a vacant, 30,000-square-foot building at W13600 County Line Road where the company had a permit to incinerate medical waste in the 1990s. Waste Management also used the facility as a medical waste transfer facility for a short period of time several years ago.

The company will use steam, or autoclave, and chemical processes to treat medical waste, including human blood and body fluids, sharps and items that have come in contact with body fluids, such as hospital gowns.

After treating the waste, Waste Management will transport it to its landfill in Menomonee Falls, which receives a tipping fee for loads. Germantown officials had attempted to be included in negotiations for a portion of the tipping fee, but were excluded.

The facility will not process any undesirable wastes, like body parts, animals, abortion wastes and hazardous or radioactive materials. Any undesirable materials delivered to the site will be stored in a refrigerated trailer for no more than 90 days.

Menomonee Falls, Germantown boys basketball photos now online

March 13, 2010 7:44 a.m. | Menomonee Falls defeated rival Germantown, 74-61, in a sectional semifinal game last night before a packed house at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee and we've just posted a photo gallery from the game.

With the victory, Falls advances to take on Arrowhead at 7:30 tonight with a berth in the state finals on the line.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

Depth wins out as Indians outlast Warhawks in sectional

March 12, 2010 10:49 p.m. | That's the problem with playing the Menomonee Falls boys basketball team.

You can withstand theiir first charge, maybe their second and possibly even their third, but in the end their depth will get you, and that's exactly what a game Germantown squad found out Friday night in the second half of the WIAA sectional semifinal at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, as 10 players scored for Falls in a 74-61 victory.

Germantown (18-7) had fought the Indians (21-3) tenaciously in the first half, taking a 31-29 lead into the break, but fatigue was beginning to wear on the Warhawks. They even stood up to Falls' initial surge in the second half, when the Indians made five of their first six shots to take a 39-35 lead.

No matter, two free throws by Zak Showalter and a hoop by Malcolm Bowers tied the game up for Germantown at the 3:46 mark of the period.

But when Joe Henningsen then drained two free throws and Jalen Ramey (12 points) hit a drive that made it 43-39 Falls, Germantown had no more answers and would never lead again.

Germantown police seek witnesses in overdose deaths

March 11, 2010 12:04 p.m. | Germantown - Police are seeking witnesses in the 2009 drug overdose deaths of Ted Olla and Ian Hegmegee and those investigations are not closed, Chief Peter Hoell said Thursday.

"We want to know who gave our two victims their fatal doses," Hoell said. At a news conference, Hoell asked community residents to come forward with any information related to the deaths.

Both men were found unresponsive in the Germantown residence of Kimberly Sell, 38.

Sell was charged this week in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with first degree reckless homicide in the Dec. 21 prescription drug overdose death of Kati Lynn Hammen of Fredonia. Sell sold Hammen, 21, the methadone that caused her death, authorities said. Hammen's live-in fiancé, Brad Baumann, told investigators that he accompanied her to Germantown to buy methadone from Sell the day before Hammen's death.

Olla, Sell's fiancé, died April 15 of an overdose of multiple drugs, including cocaine and methadone. Sell found Olla, 48, on a couch in the Legend Ave. apartment that they shared.

We're blogging live from Friday night's boys basketball sectional semifinals

March 11, 2010 9:43 a.m. | Join NOW's David Cotey and Lake Country Publications' JR Radcliffe court side Friday night as they blog live from three of the area's top Division 1 boys basketball match ups.

Cotey will be covering the contest between No. 5 Brookfield Central and No. 1 Milwaukee Hamilton, set for 6 p.m. at Greenfield High School.

Radcliffe will be at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee reporting from No. 4 Waukesha West vs. No. 1 Arrowhead at 6 p.m. and No. 3 Germantown against No. 2 Menomonee Falls at 8 p.m.

Sign up now to receive an e-mail reminder when the events go live:

Brookfield Central vs. Hamilton

Help us choose the All-Suburban teams and you could win Bucks tickets

March 11, 2010 7:21 a.m. | Want to weigh in on who you think are the best boys and girls basketball players in the suburban area?

Now's your chance, as we're asking high school hoops fans to help us select the annual NOW Newspapers All-Suburban boys and girls basketball teams, and the Players of the Year.

We've nominated the top players in the area to fill 10 spots on each honors team and we're asking you to pick the players that you think are the best in the NOW Newspapers coverage area.

When the fan voting is over, your votes - along with the votes of our sports staff - will determine the makeup of our All-Suburban Teams. And one lucky person will win a pair of lower-level tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game just for voting!

Vote for the boys team

Woman linked to 2 more drug overdose deaths

March 10, 2010 4:46 p.m. | Kimberly Sell, the 38-year-old Germantown woman charged in Ozaukee County court this week in the prescription drug overdose death of a Fredonia woman, is linked to at least two other drug overdose deaths in 2009, authorities said Wednesday.

Sell is a person of interest in the April death of her fiancé, Ted Olla, who lived with her, and the Christmas Day death of Ian Hegmegee of Menomonee Falls, Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell said.

Sell allegedly sold methadone on Dec. 20 to Kati Lynn Hammen, 21, who was found dead the next day at her Fredonia residence, according to a criminal complaint. Sell was charged Tuesday with first-degree reckless homicide in Hammen's death.

On Wednesday, Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams set bail for Sell at $75,000. Sell remained in the Ozaukee County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.

A preliminary hearing to review the charges against Sell is scheduled for March 19. If convicted, Sell could be imprisoned for up to 40 years.

Germantown vs. Homestead girls basketball photo gallery now online

March 09, 2010 9:56 p.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery from tonight's first-round girls basketball tournament game between host Germantown and Homestead.

No. 5 Germantown earned a 63-56 victory over the No. 12 Highlanders to move to the second round. The Warhawks will play at No. 4 Waukesha South on Saturday.

See NOW photojournalist Peter Zuzga's photo gallery.

District to cut teachers next year to deal with deficit

March 09, 2010 10:38 a.m. | School district officials are planning to balance a projected $475,000 deficit for next school year by cutting 2.5 full-time equivalent teachers and some capital purchases, reducing aide time, and restructuring some secretarial and supervisory positions.

While other districts across the state, including Menomonee Falls, are looking at cuts in the $1 million to $2 million range for next school year, Superintendent Kenneth Rogers said the cuts Germantown is facing are not as deep.

"This is not a cause for celebration," Rogers said. "These (cuts) do not come easily. There is some considerable belt-tightening."

The district could face an additional $165,000 in cuts because of the number of students leaving through Open Enrollment. The district doesn't accept Open Enrollment students in kindergarten through seventh grade because of space constraints. The district is prepared for additional personnel cuts, primarily aides.

"We are trying to anticipate all that," Rogers said, referring to Open Enrollment changes and special education needs. "It is a greased pig that we are trying to catch."

Germantown basketball photos now online

March 08, 2010 1:42 p.m. | We've just posted a photo gallery from Germantown's 56-45 victory over Hamilton in a boys basketball regional final Saturday.

Zak Showalter let the Warhawks with 11 points as they claimed their fourth straight regional title. With the victory, No. 3 Germantown advances to take on No. 2 Menomonee Falls in Friday's sectional semifinal at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee.

See NOW photojournalist C.T. Kruger's photo gallery.

Falls, GT to put sectional basketball tickets on sale

March 08, 2010 9:55 a.m. | Tickets for the WIAA sectional boys basketball showdown between Menomonee Falls and Germantown will go on sale shortly at the respective high schools.

The game is slated for the Al McGuire Center on the Marquette University campus in downtown Milwaukee at 8 p.m. Friday.

Tickets will go on sale at Germantown High School at 11 a.m. Monday in the school bookstore, while at Falls, they will go on sale at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday outside the athletic office.

The tickets for the two-game Friday semifinal session are $7 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets for the Saturday, 7:30 p.m. sectional final, also back at the Al, are $6 and $4, respectively.

Both schools will sell the tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis and people are advised to buy early as demand for this border rivalry game is expected to be great. 

Germantown tops Hamilton to set up a showdown with Falls

March 07, 2010 7:24 a.m. | The Germantown boys basketball team topped Sussex Hamilton, 56-45, Saturday in a WIAA regional championship.

The Warhawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never trailed. Zak Showalter led the team with 11 points.

The Warhawks will play Greater Metro Conference champion Menomonee Falls in an 8 p.m. sectional semifinal on Friday. The Indians overpowered the Warhawks, 88-67, in December and survived a 76-75 scare from Mukwonago in a regional final of their own on Saturday.

Falls and Germantown met in the sectional final last season, with the Warhawks outlasting the game Indians to advance to their second straight state tournament. Falls is riding a 14-game winning streak while Germantown has won 14 of its last 16.

Go to full story

Vote for the All-Suburban Basketball Team and you could win Bucks tickets

March 04, 2010 7:43 a.m. | Want to weigh in on who you think are the best boys basketball players in the suburban area?

Now's your chance, as we're asking high school hoops fans to help us select the annual NOW Newspapers All-Suburban Boys Basketball Team, and the Player of the Year.

We've nominated 14 players to fill 10 spots on the honors team and we're asking you to pick the player that you think is the top basketball player in the NOW Newspapers coverage area.

When the fan voting is over, your votes - along with the votes of our sport staff - will determine the makeup of our All-Suburban Team. And one lucky person will win a pair of lower-level tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game just for voting!

Vote here.

Board borrows $1.8 million for capital projects

March 02, 2010 12:04 p.m. | Although a replacement ambulance and other purchases are points of contention for two trustees, the Village Board on Monday borrowed $1.8 million for this year's capital projects, which includes $1 million for roads.

Trustees David Baum and Art Zabel, who voted against the loan, last week tried to have the ambulance, estimated at $225,000, removed from the budget.

However, concerns on mileage and the aging vehicles in the village's fleet prevailed, and the ambulance remains in the budget.

Baum also attempted to get firefighter turnout gear, with a $117,000 price tag, funded within the operating budget, a third of the gear needed each year. But other trustees noted contract obligations, safety and implementation of a future replacement plan.