Wisconsin
A Brandy Cocktail Saved A Wisconsin Supper Club From Becoming Condos
The front entrance of The Village Supper Club boasts an exterior fireplace that is reminiscent of … [+]
The Village Supper Club on Lake Delavan’s more than a century of operations almost shut down were it not for its Brandy Alexander cocktails.
These memorable ice cream drinks spurred Loretta and Allan Kaplan to save one of the longest, continuously operated supper clubs in the state. The historic property had initially been the dining lodge of Hall’s Park Resort when it opened in 1882. Over the years, it evolved into different restaurants and supper clubs, and as different owners took over, they expanded the building, a bit haphazardly at times, adding on to the as the space needs of the time dictated.
The Kaplans came every summer to enjoy life on the lake just a few doors down from the then named Swedish Village supper club. The couple had fond memories of taking their children out to dinner there, and when their children grew older, they still frequented the supper club. Most nights during the summer, they would head out after dinner and walk down along the lake to the supper club. “We used to come here late at night to get Brandy Alexanders as a dessert, and then we would dance on their small dance floor,” says Loretta.
In 2021, the beloved property went on sale. “My wife came home and told me ‘Hey, the Village is on the market,’” Allan recalls.
The couple immediately decided that they had to act – and act fast before a developer purchased the property and converted it into condos, which is what happened to another supper club on Lake Delavan. “This was always a restaurant, and it will always be a restaurant,” Allan says.
Cocktails, including the Wisconsin old fashioned and martinis, are very popular at The Village … [+]
So, after purchasing the building, they hired DMAC Architecture and Interiors to bring the historic property into the 21st Century. Initially, they were just going to do a heavy remodel, but with the age of the building and some questionable additions, they decided that the best course of action was to keep the building’s footprint, save whatever they could, but create an updated space that highlighted the property’s best feature: the lake.
“We are a modern take on a supper cub with great food and drink but a casual and welcoming atmosphere,” says Robert Johnson, general manager.
The re-imagined Village Supper Club welcomes visitors with a grand, asymmetrical, outdoor fireplace, which is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, and the grand interior with its cathedral ceiling and warm wood tones is inspired by some of the grand Midwestern barns of the area.
“This is a legacy project,” says Dwayne MacEwen, principal at DMAC Architecture and Interiors. “This should be timeless. It’s elegant, but it’s not trying too hard.”
The redesign evokes nostalgia of the supper clubs of yesteryear while maintaining a modern sophistication. The expansive, A-frame structure sets the stage for a gorgeous vista of Lake Delavan, as a wall of windows opens out onto the lake, and the tables are set in almost a stadium seating arrangement so there’s not a bad seat in the house, as every table and booth offers equally stunning views. The Kaplans pushed to save all of the trees that dot the landscape, and an equally expansive deck opens out onto the lake. The deck overlooks a dock where visitors can actually dock their boats if they choose to arrive via water instead of streets.
“They did a phenomenal job,” says Doug Wexler, a local resident “This will be the supper club other supper clubs will be compared to.”
After visitors walk past the fireplace and into the restaurant, they are greeted by hand-crafted bookcases, which highlight the history of the building, and the shelves line the back wall, which boasts its own conversation area behind the bar.
The bar itself is a magnificent, gold cage suspended overhead, showcasing the brandy and whiskey offerings. The Brandy Alexander is, of course, a specialty drink, but like every good supper club, the Village serves up Wisconsin Old Fashioneds, made with brandy or whiskey, served with sweet or sour, with muddled Luxardo cherries and oranges.
Though Wisconsin Old Fashioneds are most popularly served brandy and sweet, meaning they are crafted with brandy and topped with sweet soda (like Sprite), the sour versions are crafted with honey syrup and house sour mix. “And I make each one with love,” says Becky Hoogland, bartender.
Wisconsin
Insider: Wisconsin Man Charged With Possession Of Virtual Child Pornography
POLK COUNTY (DrydenWire) – An investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, into multiple cybertips from Google about suspected child sexual abuse materials has resulted in felony charges for a Wisconsin Man.
Cody Struemke, age 27, of Amery, WI, is facing nearly a dozen charges for possessing child pornography, including Felony Possession of Virtual Child Pornography.
The criminal complaint against him alleges that Struemke saved a photo from Facebook of juveniles known to him, and digitally edited the photo to make it appear they were nude.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin health professionals share tips to protect against respiratory illnesses
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -Respiratory illness season has begun in Wisconsin, with health professionals reporting increased flu cases and higher demand for medications and vaccines.
Over-the-counter medicines are flying off the shelves at Forward Pharmacy in McFarland, according to manager Tony Peterangelo.
“We’ve had to increase like how much of some of that stuff we’ve kept on hand,” Peterangelo said. “We had to make some special orders to really bulk up on some of it too.”
Upland Hills physician Benjamin Hecht said the respiratory illness season typically begins after Thanksgiving.
“As of right now, we are just starting in the last week or two to see some Influenza A. Last year was a pretty tough flu year for us, influenza in Wisconsin. It’s still to be seen how severe of a year this is going to be in 2025-26,” he said.
Respiratory viruses are hard to avoid according to the Upland Hills physician.
“You can wear masks and wash your hands a ton, but you’re going to get exposed to these viruses at some point,” Dr. Hecht said.
RSV poses concern for young children
Dr. Hecht said another concern this season is RSV, particularly for young children with developing immune systems.
“The kids that get this, especially the really young kids, that don’t have a mature immune system, they can get pretty sick from RSV. That’s a particularly scary one. If you’re in a position where you qualify to get that vaccination or perhaps your kids do, please consider that,” Dr. Hecht said.
Forward Pharmacy is meeting demand for vaccines, which Peterangelo said can help protect against viruses.
“All of that stuff reduces the need to scramble on the back end to get antibiotics and cough suppressants. It doesn’t completely reduce your risk, but it reduces it enough that your likelihood of getting that is down,” Peterangelo said.
The pharmacy has given out dozens of flu and covid shots in a day.
“I would say maybe in the 60 to 80 range,” Peterangelo said.
Dr. Hecht said influenza B will come later in the season. He recommends people with severe respiratory symptoms like breathing troubles to see a doctor.
“The big thing is just living a healthy lifestyle, staying well hydrated, getting good sleep, doing what you can with physical activity and exercise to make sure your immune system is in tip top shape,” Dr. Hecht said.
According to new CDC data, doctor visits for flu-like symptoms rose to more than 3% in the last two weeks. The majority of flu cases are caused by a mutated strain that causes more severe illness, particularly among older adults.
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Wisconsin
Former Trump aides appear in Wisconsin court over 2020 election fraud charges
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two attorneys and an aide who all worked on President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing in Wisconsin on felony forgery charges related to a fake elector scheme.
The Wisconsin case is moving forward even as others in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia have faltered. A special prosecutor last year dropped a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Another case in Nevada is still alive.
The Wisconsin case was filed a year ago but has been tied up as the Trump aides have fought, unsuccessfully so far, to have the charges dismissed.
The hearing on Monday comes a week after Trump attorney Jim Troupis, one of the three who were charged, tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to step down in the case and have it moved to another county. Troupis, who the other two defendants joined in his motion, alleged that the judge did not write a previous order issued in August declining to dismiss the case. Instead, he accused the father of the judge’s law clerk, a retired judge, of actually writing the opinion.
Troupis, who served one year as a judge in the same county where he was charged, also alleged that all of the judges in Dane County are biased against him and he can’t get a fair trial.
Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland said he and a staff attorney alone wrote the order. Hyland also said Troupis presented no evidence to back up his claims of bias and refused to step down or delay the hearing.
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the allegations.
The same judge will determine at Monday’s hearing whether there’s enough evidence to proceed with the charges against the three.
The former Trump aides face 11 felony charges each related to their roles in the 2020 fake elector scheme. In addition to Troupis, the other defendants are Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised Trump’s campaign, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice, headed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, brought the felony forgery charges in 2024, alleging that the three defrauded the 10 Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump in 2020.
Prosecutors contend the three lied to the Republicans about how the certificate they signed would be used as part of a plan to submit paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence, falsely claiming that Trump had won the battleground state that year.
The complaint said a majority of the 10 Republicans told investigators that they were needed to sign the elector certificate indicating Trump had won only to preserve his legal options if a court changed the outcome of the election in Wisconsin.
A majority of the electors told investigators that they did not believe their signatures on the elector certificate would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling, the complaint said. Also, a majority said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said.
Federal prosecutors who investigated Trump’s conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot said the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin.
The Trump associates have argued that no crime took place. But the judge in August rejected their arguments in allowing the case to proceed to Monday’s preliminary hearing.
Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 but fought to have the defeat overturned. He won the state in both 2016 and 2024.
The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them seeking damages.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the attorneys who are charged formerly worked on Trump’s campaign, but are still practicing attorneys.
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