Shorewood Patch Week in Review

As runners lined up for the Boston Marathon Monday morning, North Shore firefighter James Gefke likely looked a little different than most, as he finished today’s run in 4 hours, 18 minutes and 29 seconds — wearing full firefighting gear. Even heavier than the gear, was likey the memory of his fallen friend and former North Shore firefighter of more than a decade, on his mind.

Shorewood village trustees agreed Monday to merge dispatch services with five other North Shore communities, saving $240,000 over 10 years. A year-long process came to a end as the Village Board approved the measure unanimously. Emergency dispatch services will be shared by Shorewood, River Hills, Bayside, Fox Point, Whitefish Bay and Glendale, with consolidated services out of Bayside starting in spring 2012. The village plans to borrow $400,000 as part of an initial investment.

Bringing their traditional pizza pies with them, brothers Joe and Luigi Vella will open Shorewood’s newest pizzeria, Salvatore’s Pizza, May 17.

Shorewood School District residents asked school officials Tuesday to reconsider proposed cuts to the music program while adding administrative staff positions and wireless Internet service. Nearly 60 Shorewood residents and parents attended a town hall meeting Tuesday, voicing an array of concerns to Superintendent Blane McCann about tax increases and the recently passed referendum, and zeroing in on recommended budget cuts to music directorships and the addition of district-wide Wi-Fi and administrative staff.

The organizer of a group working to recall Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) confirmed it will file nearly 30,000 signatures Thursday, well over the little more than 20,000 the group needed to spark a recall election. “It’s is an amazing day because we have reached 30,000 signatures,” Organizer Kristopher Rowe shouted to a large crowd of supporters.

A three-year delay in federal approval of updated ballot-counting software means the upcoming Supreme Court recount will cost Milwaukee County as much as $500,000 more than it would had the software been approved. The county has had $200,000 in its budget to buy the new software since the purchase was approved in 2008, said Lisa Weiner, elections administrator for Milwaukee County.

On an average day, getting a haircut doesn't amount to much — besides a messy floor — but one Shorewood student's last haircut amounted to more than $140 in relief for the devastated people of Japan.