MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee man says a shoddy driveway job left him out hundreds of dollars. He thought his case was slipping through the cracks until he tried a new tactic.

From the first time Ron Melzer stepped foot on his newly sealed driveway in July, he could tell the finished work was not as advertised.

“You could see the stones, the little peaks of the stones,” Melzer told Contact 6. “He was supposed to fill the major cracks. What he considered major and what I considered major are two different things.”

Melzer says he agreed to pay $1,500 for the job, partly because the owner of the sealing business said they could start right away.

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“I know his price was high, but he offered me a product that I thought was superior,” said Melzer.

Once the job started, the price went up.

“He came up to me and said, “you really need two coats instead of one coat.” He said, “now the price is higher,” said Melzer.

In the end, Melzer paid $2,000 for the driveway. When he met Contact 6 in September, weeds were sprouting through the driveway’s new seal. Melzer said he business did return to reseal some missed spots, but the sealant washed away two days later.

After that, Melzer says the business stopped responding to his message. Eventually, Melzer sought outside help.

“One I contacted Contact 6, he got back to me the next day,” said Melzer.

Melzer asked for a refund of $530 and got it, plus an apology. His savings are among the $45,235.26 that consumers says Contact 6 helped them save in August.

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Working behind the scenes and off-camera, the Contact 6 associated producer, Annette, helped a Pewaukee woman get $765 from her insurance for a new set of dentures. She assisted a Sheboygan Falls woman with getting her new sofa refabricated after deep wrinkles appeared in the fabric.

Thanks to Contact 6, a Milwaukee family also saved $648 on a hotel room, after they complained of unsanitary conditions.

Melzer plans to patch up the remaining cracks on his driveway himself before winter. This business that sealed his driveway apologized for the misleading information and thanked Contact 6 for stepping in.

To find out if Contact 6 may be able to help you with a consumer issue, file a complaint form with us here: https://www.fox6now.com/news/submit-a-contact-6-inquiry

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – Prosecutors charged a Milwaukee man after they say he stole thousands of dollars from a subway restaurant in the Village of Pewaukee.

Subway was once famous for its ‘$5 Dollar Footlongs.’

But according to prosecutors, one of the chain’s employees now has a reputation for his ‘five finger discount.’

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Prosecutors say 23-year-old Donovan Buker Carter started working at a Subway restaurant inside a Village of Pewaukee Walmart in May.

Managers told police his time as an employee didn’t add up.

Village police reviewed Subway’s sales tax reports. Investigators say they found “excessive” cash sales totaling “93 cents” and one penny.

When police looked at printouts of till records from all of Carter’s shifts from the end of June until just last week, they found a surprising pattern.

Police say Buker Carter handled 890 cash transactions in just those few months. Investigators say he voided all of those sales, resold the subs for as little as a penny, and pocketed the rest of the cash for himself.

In an interview with police, Buker Carter said he only took $2,300 from his employer, but the police audit shows he took $4,581.25.

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Buker Carter told police he “needed the money to pay bills” for his kids and girlfriend. He said he “took money during most of his shifts.”

Prosecutors charged him with felony theft. A Waukesha County court commissioner set Buker Carter’s signature bond at $1,250.

FOX6 reached out to the Subway franchise owner by telephone to verify Carter’s current employment status, and haven’t heard back yet.

The west side’s spiffy Davidson Park and downtown’s expanded, modernized Baird Center are two of the new attractions for Doors Open Milwaukee Sept. 28-29.

The annual event gives architecture lovers chances to explore more than 140 locations around the city, including some that rarely welcome behind-the-scenes visitors or tours. Doors Open is organized and presented by nonprofit organization Historic Milwaukee.

Here’s a look at details you might want to know before planning a 2024 Doors Open excursion.

When is Doors Open Milwaukee 2024?

Basic hours for Doors Open Milwaukee are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 28) and Sunday (Sept. 29). But there are many variations. Each site sets its own hours. For example, Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, 1570 S. 9th St., is only open for Doors Open visitors from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. Check details for each site at historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open/buildings.

Is Doors Open in Milwaukee free?

Most events are free, But there are some ticketed tours. Check the Doors Open site at historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open for info on free spots, tour tickets and requirements.

What are some new sites for Doors Open 2024?

New sites for Doors Open 2024 include:

• Davidson Park, 3725 W. Juneau Ave., a 4.8-acre public park at Harley-Davidson’s corporate headquarters that just opened in June. Its features include a nifty sunken amphitheater with tiered seating.
• Baird Center North Building, 405 W. Kilbourn Ave. Self-guided tours of the newly expanded and updated convention and exhibition center, which opened in May. (This site will be open only on Saturday, Sept. 28.)
• Bronzeville Center for the Arts, 507 W. North Ave. A new hub for African American arts. (This site will be open only on Saturday, Sept. 28.)
• WUWM Milwaukee in the Chase Building, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave. Home of the National Public Radio station 89.7 FM.

What are a few other cool buildings to visit during Doors Open 2024?

Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra converted this Art Deco movie palace into its performing home.

Carma Laboratories, 9750 S. Franklin Drive, Franklin. Yes, you can visit the Carmex lip balm warehouse, which is also home to what organizers call “the world’s largest theater pipe organ.” Music will be playing. This event is Saturday, Sept. 28 only.

Browse a complete list of Doors Open participating buildings and sites at historicmilwaukee.org.

What tours are available during Doors Open Milwaukee 2024?

Find a complete list of paid-ticket tours and free municipal tours at historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open/tours. Public ticket sales for ticketed tours begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 11. These tours can and do sell out, so act quickly. A few of this year’s venues: City Hall Bell Tower (free), Jones Island (free), Beyond the Bars: Water Street ($10 for adults), Forest Home Bike Tour ($10 for adults), Milwaukee Terra Cotta Tour ($10 for adults).

What mobile app tours are available?

By downloading the Historic Milwaukee app from Apple or Google Play, visitors can explore Milwaukee neighborhoods on their own. New neighborhood tours include Lindsay Heights and Historic King Drive (available to download Sept. 28). They join more than a dozen extant mobile app tours, including Avenues West, Indigenous Milwaukee, Metcalfe Park and North Point Mansions South. For Doors Open mobile app info, visit historicmilwaukee.org.

How do I find out more about Doors Open Milwaukee 2024?

Visit historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open.