🌱 Patch AM: How a Waukesha food truck owner rebuilt life after fleeing Venezuela

Cheers Waukesha! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How a Waukesha food truck owner rebuilt life after fleeing Venezuela
• How Waukesha firefighters quickly contained a neighborhood garage blaze
• Could this new bill finally rein in Waukesha ambulance bills?

Also on today's calendar: ACT Practice Test (the New ACT) and 8 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the shovel say to the dirt? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: A little rain in the morning, with a high of 42 and low of 29 degrees.
• Saturday: Colder with snow, 1-2", temps: high: 32, low: 21.
• Sunday: Windy; morning snow showers, with a high of 30 and low of 25 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Building a new life through food and freedom (gmtoday.com) — A Venezuelan refugee who settled in Waukesha about seven years ago is rebuilding his life here through two Venezuelan food trucks and work at a local factory. Now a U.S. citizen, he shares how fleeing Maduro’s regime led him to farmers markets in Waukesha and nearby communities, where cooking connects him with neighbors and a new sense of freedom.
   

2. Fire causes damage to garage and vehicle in Waukesha (gmtoday.com) — A Thursday morning fire damaged a detached garage and vehicle on the 400 block of Scott Avenue in Waukesha, but firefighters knocked down the flames within 10 minutes. No injuries were reported, and the cause is still under investigation. Officials are urging residents to evacuate immediately during any fire and never re-enter a burning building.
   

3. New Wisconsin bill targets surprise ground ambulance bills (fox6now.com) — If you ever need an ambulance in Waukesha, a new bipartisan Wisconsin bill could sharply limit the surprise bills that now hit many riders for hundreds or thousands of dollars. The proposal would require insurers to pay significantly higher, standardized rates for emergency ground ambulance rides, a change ambulance providers say could stabilize services while insurers warn it may raise premiums.
   

4. Milwaukee-area flood was FEMA's second-most expensive 2025 disaster (jsonline.com) — Waukesha County residents are among those receiving part of more than $195 million in FEMA aid after August’s historic Milwaukee-area flood, now the agency’s second-costliest 2025 disaster. The story details how local recovery money is being used, why Wisconsin’s request for broader public assistance was denied, and how climate change and federal policy shifts could affect future disaster help.
   

5. After Minnesota shooting, here's what to know about your rights if approached by ICE (jsonline.com) — Waukesha County residents should know their sheriff’s office participates in a federal program letting local deputies perform some immigration enforcement duties under ICE. This explainer walks through what rights people in Wisconsin have if approached, stopped, or detained by immigration agents, including when they can refuse searches, how traffic stops work, and what protections exist when observing or recording officers.
   

📸 Around Waukesha

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Waukesha

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday January 10

• ACT Practice Test (the New ACT)
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday January 10

• The Waukesha Card Show
  Waukesha County Expo Center , 1000 Northview Rd , Waukesha
  10:00 am
• Defying Gravity: It Is Rocket Science
  Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium , Madison St , Waukesha
  11:00 am
• Messengers of Time & Space
  Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium , Madison St , Waukesha
  1:00 pm

Monday January 12

• Butler Middle School Open House
  Les Paul Middle School , 310 N Hine Ave , Waukesha
  5:30 pm

Tuesday January 13

• Alliance 101 - 1/13/26
  Waukesha County Business Alliance , 2717 N Grandview Blvd., Suite 300 , Waukesha
  3:00 pm

Wednesday January 14

• Amazing Planet
  Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium , Madison St , Waukesha
  11:00 am
• Les Paul Middle School Open House
  Les Paul Middle School , 325 Carroll St , Waukesha
  5:30 pm

Thursday January 15

• K-8 STEM Open House at Horning
  Les Paul Middle School , 1809 Butler Dr , Waukesha
  5:30 pm

Saturday January 17

• Waukesha JanBoree Event: Aurora-Lights of Wonder
  Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium , Madison St , Waukesha
  11:00 am

Wednesday January 21

• Cleopatra's Universe
  Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium , Madison St , Waukesha
  11:00 am

📣 Waukesha Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Friday January 9

• Firefighter Storytime
  New Berlin Public Library , 15105 W Library Ln , New Berlin
  10:30 am
• Brown Bag Book Club
  New Berlin Public Library , 15105 W Library Ln , New Berlin
  12:00 pm
• Wrestling: G/V
  Brookfield Central High School , Aux Gym All , Brookfield
  3:00 pm
• Basketball: G/JV-2
  Brookfield East High School , Main Court (2&3) , Brookfield
  4:15 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Waukesha PatchAM possible:

• Ares Physical Therapy — (608) 469-3107
  Purchase any package this January and enjoy a free massage
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• Sell It Now Store — (414) 727-0600
  Accepting Consignments!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• HAPPY 250TH AMERICA!” A Special Exhibit —Debbie McArdle Read on Patch

• Dear neighbors…
  I am in need of an experienced sewist with embroidery experience. I need to have a Christmas stocking reworked into an age appropriate gift. Was a fu… (Nextdoor Davidson Road)
• Hi Neighbors!
  I am looking for clients in the home that need caring for, I am a CNA for 38 Years now, and enjoy helping people in there home, whether it be for… (Nextdoor Downtown Waukesha)

• Government Jobs posted a job opening for Senior Activity Coordinator in Waukesha. Apply here.
• Sam's Club posted a job opening for Merchandise and Stocking Associate in Waukesha. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Waukesha here.

Ok Waukesha! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I really dig you!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook