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Experts suggests having trees removed after experiencing storms this summer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Recent storms that have swept through the area are causing local tree experts to caution homeowners to have their trees checked for damage or disease.
Graham Henderson with Alabama Urban Forestry tells CBS 42 that dead limbs and mushrooms are an early indicator that your tree is not in good condition.
Dead limbs at the top of the tree mean the tree is stressed, and mushrooms, fungus, or rot around the base is a sign the tree is decaying.
“Even though a tree might be full of leaves, that doesn’t mean that what’s holding it in the ground is secure,” Henderson said. “If you see any of that, it means you need to have an expert tree guy to come take a look at it.”
Henderson says you should have your trees checked by a professional every two to three years.
He says winter is the best time to have them removed because there are not many storms, and the cost is cheaper.
Even if the tree is healthy and it is within 12 feet of your home, Henderson says you should have it removed.
“In the event of a storm, if you lose limbs they’re more than likely going to fall unto your house, and you could experience foundation issues,” Henderson said.
Experts suggests having trees removed after experiencing … | 2022-07-25T13:58:32Z | www.cbs42.com | Tree experts suggests having trees removed after experiencing storms this summer | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/experts-suggests-having-trees-removed-after-experiencing-storms-this-summer/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/experts-suggests-having-trees-removed-after-experiencing-storms-this-summer/ |
PELHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – Trains moving at a snail’s pace or completely stopping for hours on end continue to cause headaches for drivers needing to get by in Shelby County. On Sunday, we received a photo from one Chelsea driver who got stopped in front of city hall by a train, reporting it was stalled for nearly five hours. | 2022-07-26T04:48:23Z | www.cbs42.com | Shelby county leaders seek federal funding to combat train blockages | https://www.cbs42.com/news/shelby-county-leaders-seek-federal-funding-to-combat-train-blockages/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/shelby-county-leaders-seek-federal-funding-to-combat-train-blockages/ |
PELHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – Trains moving at a snail’s pace or completely stopping for hours on end continue to cause headaches for drivers needing to get by in Shelby County.
On Sunday, we received a photo from one Chelsea driver who got stopped in front of city hall by a train, reporting it was stalled for nearly five hours. | 2022-07-26T12:27:13Z | www.cbs42.com | Shelby county leaders seek federal funding to combat train blockages | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/shelby-county-leaders-seek-federal-funding-to-combat-train-blockages/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/shelby-county-leaders-seek-federal-funding-to-combat-train-blockages/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Students and faculty will return to school for the fall semester in a few days, but with COVID-19 cases on the rise there are questions about if masks will be optional or required for the school year.
Many school systems will not require their students or faculty to wear mask this school year.
“While we continue to monitor the situation, at this time, we are not planning any changes to our COVID procedures,” Jefferson County School Superintendent Dr. Walter Gonsoulin said. “Masks will remain optional. We continue to encourage all students and staff to get vaccinated if they are not already.”
“Mountain Brook Schools has been operating mask-optional since October 2021,” a spokesperson for Mountain Brooks Schools, William Galloway, said. “No changes have been made since then, and we look forward to seeing our faculty and students return to school very soon.”
School leaders say they want to go back to a normal learning environment.
Some school superintendents feel the worst of COVID-19 has passed, but they will continue to monitor the new COVID-19 variant and communicate with county health officials.
School leaders still encourage students and faculty members to practice proper hygiene and avoid close contact.
The new variant is highly contagious, and right now, outbreaks are happening across the state.
CBS 42 resident physician Dr. Celeste Reese-Willis recommends that students and teachers get vaccinated and wear masks to prevent a spread.
Dr. Celeste says frequent handwashing and increasing ventilation also play a role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools.
Some parents are OK with the mask being optional this school year.
Homewood Parent Amy Helzer says she is confident in Homewood City School’s decision to make masks optional.
She said when the mandate lifted last year, her son and other students at Edgewood Elementary were happy because they could better interact with teachers and others. | 2022-07-27T17:08:10Z | www.cbs42.com | Will masks be required or optional this school year? | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/will-masks-be-required-or-optional-this-school-year/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/will-masks-be-required-or-optional-this-school-year/ |
Energy bill assistance available for Alabamians amid rising rates
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — With Alabama Power announcing a rate hike starting in August, keeping the thermostat down this summer may not be an option for those trying to keep up with rising costs.
Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh says skyrocketing fuel prices are behind the higher utility bills. The Commission recently allowed Alabama Power to recover roughly 4% of the money they spend on fuel costs, resulting in a higher rate.
She says companies are allowed to recover the amount of money they spend on fuel because fuel prices fluctuate.
“If we were to leave the fuel clause in place that we set in January, the amount consumers would be in debt to Alabama Power Company for fuel prices would be astronomical.”
The company estimates customers will pay about $6 more a month. Cavanaugh emphasizes this increase doesn’t go toward profits, but offsets what they’ve spent on fuel.
Meanwhile, Alabama’s Department of Economic and Community Affairs has seen a roughly 5-10% increase this year in applications for energy bill assistance.
“The demand is always much greater than the amount of funding that we get, so unfortunately, we can’t always, the local agencies can’t always assist everyone that applies, but they do their best,” ADECA’s Acting Energy Division Chief Jennifer Lee said.
The state receives about $60 million annually through the Health and Human Services Department to implement the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program, or LIHEAP.
Community action centers across the state help administer the program through ADECA, serving roughly 73,000 eligible households.
“We get dangerously hot sometimes here in the south,” Lee said. “It’s especially important for our vulnerable households — those on fixed incomes, our elderly, those with medical conditions and households with young children, they need that help.”
The Salvation Army’s “Project SHARE” (Services to Help Alabamians with Relief on Energy) is another initiative to help with power bills. Montgomery Salvation Army Co-Director and Administrator Tabitha Roberts says it’s available to those who receive social security or have disabilities.
“We see bills skyrocketing because the AC is going and the kids are home, so we see an increase in utility assistance needed, so we are happy to come alongside those who come to us for assistance.,” Roberts said.
For more information on LIHEAP through ADECA, head here, and for more on Project SHARE, head here. | 2022-07-27T22:45:41Z | www.cbs42.com | Energy bill assistance available for Alabamians amid rising rates | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/energy-bill-assistance-available-for-alabamians-amid-rising-rates/ | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/energy-bill-assistance-available-for-alabamians-amid-rising-rates/ |
It’s no secret traffic is bad on Highway 280, especially during those peak travel times. ALDOT is working to bring some relief but that means more construction.
ALDOT division engineer DeJarvis Leonard said studies show during high travel times, the number of cars traveling in the area doubles causing major congestion. He hopes this project will bring some relief.
“So this is the point where everything clogs up in the morning so if we can avoid this and get rid of the gridlock in that area, or in the afternoon going out, it would help substantially in that area,” Leonard said.
The project is still in the preliminary phase. Leonard said you have a chance to share your thoughts about the project, during a public meeting hosted by ALDOT on Aug. 13. | 2022-07-28T05:28:23Z | www.cbs42.com | ALDOT plans early stages of Highway 280 expansion project | https://www.cbs42.com/news/aldot-plans-early-stages-of-highway-280-expansion-project/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/aldot-plans-early-stages-of-highway-280-expansion-project/ |
It’s no secret traffic is bad on Highway 280, especially during those peak travel times. ALDOT is working to bring some relief, but that means more construction.
ALDOT division engineer DeJarvis Leonard said studies show that during high travel times the number of cars traveling in the area doubles, causing major congestion. He hopes this project will bring some relief.
“So this is the point where everything clogs up in the morning, so if we can avoid this and get rid of the gridlock in that area, or in the afternoon going out, it would help substantially in that area,” Leonard said.
Leonard said you have a chance to share your thoughts about the project during a public meeting hosted by ALDOT on Aug. 13. | 2022-07-28T13:51:54Z | www.cbs42.com | ALDOT plans early stages of Highway 280 expansion project | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/aldot-plans-early-stages-of-highway-280-expansion-project/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/aldot-plans-early-stages-of-highway-280-expansion-project/ |
BESSEMER, Ala. (WIAT) — School is back in session for several counties and districts in two weeks, and they’re looking to fill critical vacancies before students return to the classroom.
Teachers, substitutes, custodians, and cafeteria workers positions are open.
Some school systems only have a few positions to fill before school starts, while others have many jobs that remain open.
Alabama State Education job board has over two thousand jobs available.
Last week, CBS 42 News reported Birmingham City Schools had over 150 vacancies.
That number has decreased thus far, and they hope to fill them all before school starts on August 8th.
“We have different pathways to teach,” Birmingham City Schools Human Resource Officer Jennika Oglesby said. “We are just asking for candidates to have a conversation with us and see what the most appropriate pathway for them to engage in the education field is.”
Classrooms could become overcrowded if they don’t have enough teachers in schools.
Human Resource Officer for Bessemer City Schools Dr. Corvetta Clasberry tells CBS 42 that not enough teachers could mean students would have to start school with a substitute.
She says cafeteria workers and custodians are critical positions they’re looking to fill immediately.
“We have to have our building cleaned for our students, and our students have to be fed,” Clasberry said. “If we’re short in those areas, then we’re shortchanging our students, and that is very critical, and we are in desperate need; right now.”
Founder of a new charter school, Empower Community School, Dr. Anthony Oliver, says schools have struggled to retain staff since the pandemic.
Many educators have left to pursue other career ventures.
“I think it’s the stresses of the job,” Oliver said. “We’re trying to create an environment where they can relieve those stresses. So, for instance, all our teachers don’t have to do lunch period every day.”
He and other education leaders hope a normal learning environment this school year will help retain teachers. | 2022-07-28T15:43:46Z | www.cbs42.com | School systems continue to fill vacancies before first day | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/school-systems-continue-to-fill-vacancies-before-first-day/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/school-systems-continue-to-fill-vacancies-before-first-day/ |
Weather Aware Today and Saturday for a threat of heavy rain and possible flooding
A cold front will move toward Alabama from the north on Friday and it will stall over Tennessee. This will set off scattered showers and storms across Central Alabama later in the afternoon and evening. A few storms could be strong to severe.
SPC has placed northern Alabama in a Level 1/5 Marginal Risk for severe weather. The main threat will be gusty winds. Heavy rain is likely with any storm since the humidity levels will be much higher. We will have to watch out for some flash flooding. We’ve issued a Weather Aware Today due to the threat for strong storms and heavy rain. The highest rain totals will be across North Alabama. High temperatures will be in the lower 90s before the storms move over Central Alabama during the late afternoon and evening.
Tonight, we will be mostly clear and muggy with a few showers. Lows will be in the mid 70s.
Weekend Forecast: We will continue the Weather Aware into Saturday as the cold front stalls over Tennessee and North Alabama. Expect more numerous showers and storms with heavy rain. Again, we will have to watch out for some possible flash flooding.
Rainfall totals between Friday and Saturday will be around 1-2″+. High temperatures will only be in the upper 80s, but it will get into the lower 90s the farther south you travel.
Sunday will have scattered afternoon storms as the front weakens and moves to the north. High temperatures will be in the lower 90s. | 2022-07-29T09:06:34Z | www.cbs42.com | Weather Aware Today and Saturday for a threat of heavy rain and possible flooding | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/weather-aware-today-and-saturday-for-a-threat-of-heavy-rain-and-possible-flooding/ | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/weather-aware-today-and-saturday-for-a-threat-of-heavy-rain-and-possible-flooding/ |
Production crews filming new streaming series in Alabama
Production on a new streaming series called “Love in Fairhope,” which started last week on the Eastern Shore. It’s something Fairhope city officials have been keeping under wraps for the past 18 months while production crews obtained permits and scouted the area. | 2022-07-29T17:08:46Z | www.cbs42.com | Production crews filming new streaming series in Alabama | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/production-crews-filming-new-streaming-series-in-alabama/ | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/production-crews-filming-new-streaming-series-in-alabama/ |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Thousands of University of Alabama students are moving back to Tuscaloosa into off-campus apartments and houses this week. There were many U-Hauls and other moving trucks unloading boxes as students were moving back Friday morning.
Morgan Kidd and her best friend Halli Webb are UA sophomore students who are excited for their second year of classes at the University of Alabama. The 19-year-old students are best friends who met after being chosen to be Crimsonettes for the Million Dollar Band.
“The boxes and packing up is something you don’t look forward to, but it’s so much fun to live with your best friend and experience things together,” Kidd said. “Being a University of Alabama student is a blessing in itself. Just walking to class … makes me very grateful and thankful I am able to attend this school.”
Webb says she is excited to share a house and not have to stay in a dorm this year.
“It was fun to have everyone in the same building in Tutwiler but I think having my own room and kitchen will be a lot better,” Webb said.
Early move-in for UA students begins Wednesday for students wanting to move into dorm housing. Classes start on August 17. UA officials expect more than 38,000 students to enroll this semester. | 2022-07-30T03:13:13Z | www.cbs42.com | UA students are moving into off-campus housing | https://www.cbs42.com/news/ua-students-are-moving-into-off-campus-housing/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/ua-students-are-moving-into-off-campus-housing/ |
More Storms, Occasionally Heavy Rain
WEATHER AWARE: Heavy storms and isolated flooding remain likely through this evening. A Weather Aware remains in place through tonight for heavy storms capable of gusty winds, heavy rain, and localized flooding.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Scattered storms continue, and may linger past midnight, particularly north of I-20. Some localized flooding will remain possible through the evening. Patchy fog could develop after midnight tonight. Lows dip into the low to mid 70s.
SUNDAY: After a relatively dry morning, more showers and storms develop in the afternoon. Rain coverage may be more limited Sunday south of I-20, with another round of more widespread storm coverage north of I-20. Still, any one spot could get a storm capable of heavy rain. Highs in the upper 80s and low 90s.
MONDAY: We’ll have less coverage of rain and storms Monday, but we won’t eliminate those summer pop-up chances. Highs in the low 90s, with a heat index in the low 100s. Scattered storms develop in the afternoon and evening, but rain coverage is closer to 30% across Central Alabama, but will still be more widespread across the Tennessee Valley.
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: We get more scattered showers and storms through the middle of the week. Heavy rain will again be possible, but at this point it does not appear the rain will be as widespread as it was the previous week. Highs will stay in the upper 80s and low 90s, with the heat index approaching triple digits where it remains drier each day.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Rain chances pull back a bit and the heat builds as we round out the week. Highs in the 90s, and a head index in the 100s will stick around through the end of the week, but showers and storms will be more isolated than they were during the week. | 2022-07-30T22:55:51Z | www.cbs42.com | More Storms, Occasionally Heavy Rain | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/more-storms-occasionally-heavy-rain/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/more-storms-occasionally-heavy-rain/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Police Department is investigating a shooting that left a Birmingham man dead Saturday night.
According to BPD, officers arrived to 424 Commons Drive at the Intown Suites just before 9 p.m. and discovered Bill Brown Jr., 26, of Birmingham shot inside a room. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
BPD believes an argument occurred which led to the suspect shooting into Brown’s room from the outside.
No suspect is in custody. If you have any information, contact BPD at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. | 2022-07-31T20:30:01Z | www.cbs42.com | Man shot, killed inside hotel room in Birmingham | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/man-shot-killed-inside-hotel-room-in-birmingham/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/man-shot-killed-inside-hotel-room-in-birmingham/ |
It is a mostly cloudy, mild and muggy morning across Central Alabama with a few showers. Temperatures are in the 70s.
Another upper-level wave/disturbance will move across Alabama today. When you combine that with the heating of the day, any outflow boundaries from Monday’s storms, and a MCS moving toward Alabama from the north we will get scattered showers and storms.
Some downpours are likely, so watch out for possible flooding issues. High temperatures will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s. | 2022-08-02T09:09:44Z | www.cbs42.com | Stormy weather continues today with some downpours | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/weather-birmingham-forecast/stormy-weather-continues-today-with-some-downpours/ | https://www.cbs42.com/weather-birmingham-forecast/stormy-weather-continues-today-with-some-downpours/ |
HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — The Homewood Police Department participated in National Night Out. Celebrated on the first Tuesday in August, it’s a nationwide initiative to bring people and police together.
HPD’s experience with National Night Out Tuesday night was all about community fun. Homewood Police and first responders hosted a block party with the West Homewood Farmers Market. Officers got to interact with the community and hang out with kids.
This comes after several violent weekends in the greater Birmingham area. HPD Sgt. John Carr said this event is all about building trust and helping bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.
“The most important thing we can work on is building that trust within the community,” Carr said. “They help us solve crimes, they call tips in. All that leads back to trusting each other.”
So far this year, Homewood has reported only one homicide. Sgt. Carr said police rely on information from the public to solve crimes, making that trust factor even more important. He hopes these events show people how dedicated they are to serving our local communities. | 2022-08-03T05:18:36Z | www.cbs42.com | Homewood PD participates in National Night Out | https://www.cbs42.com/news/homewood-pd-participates-in-national-night-out/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/homewood-pd-participates-in-national-night-out/ |
Major League Football League employees’ paychecks ‘reversed’ in south Alabama
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Major League Football league continues to make headlines since “shutting down” July 28.
In the latest update from WKRG’s Simone Eli on Twitter, News 5 has learned the league has “reversed” its employees paychecks from last Friday without any notice. | 2022-08-03T16:46:09Z | www.cbs42.com | Major League Football League employees' paychecks 'reversed' in south Alabama | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/major-league-football-league-employees-paychecks-reversed-in-south-alabama/ | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/major-league-football-league-employees-paychecks-reversed-in-south-alabama/ |
(Alison Collins/Twitter)
CULLMAN, Ala. (WIAT) — The Moooove Over Law is now in effect in Alabama after a cow was seen leading an animal control vehicle on a chase along I-65 Wednesday.
A video of the bovine galloping away from authorities near Cullman was filmed and posted on Twitter just after 10:45 a.m. by Alison Collins.
“We got cows as @HelenHunt would say,” Collins captioned the video, in reference to the actor’s famous line from the movie “Twister.”
CBS 42 reached out to Cullman County Animal Control who are working to capture the cow at this time. There is no word yet on if the animal is “udder” arrest at this time. | 2022-08-03T20:19:22Z | www.cbs42.com | Udder nonsense: Cow leads chase down I-65 near Cullman | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/animals/udder-nonsense-cow-leads-chase-down-i-65-near-cullman/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/animals/udder-nonsense-cow-leads-chase-down-i-65-near-cullman/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Southeastern Grocers is now administering Novavax vaccines to individuals ages 18 and older in nearly 100 select Fresco y Mas, Harveys supermarket and Winn-Dixie pharmacies on Thursdays and Saturdays.
The grocer is offering online appointments and convenient walk-ups for all Novavax, Moderna, Pfizer vaccines to eligible people and encourages qualified individuals to visit here. | 2022-08-03T20:19:52Z | www.cbs42.com | Select Birmingham stores to offer Novavax COVID-19 vaccines | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/select-birmingham-stores-to-offer-novavax-covid-19-vaccines/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/select-birmingham-stores-to-offer-novavax-covid-19-vaccines/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A Birmingham man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a 2018 cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Prentice Tanniehill, 46, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, five separate instances of distributing cocaine, and five counts of using a telephone to commit a drug crime. U.S. attorney Prim Escalona announced his sentencing by a federal judge Wednesday.
The indictment charged Tanniehill with cocaine distribution conspiracy that spanned from July 2017 to Oct. 2018. During this time, Tanniehill sold cocaine to an FBI confidential source on five distinct occasions.
FBI investigated the case along along with the Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and member agencies of the FBI North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant US attorney Gregory Dimler prosecuted the case. | 2022-08-03T23:43:40Z | www.cbs42.com | Birmingham man sentenced to 15 years for cocaine trafficking conspiracy | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/birmingham-man-sentenced-to-15-years-for-cocaine-trafficking-conspiracy/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/birmingham-man-sentenced-to-15-years-for-cocaine-trafficking-conspiracy/ |
UA students begin early move in back to campus
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Thousands of University of Alabama students are moving back onto campus on Wednesday to start their early move-in process. Freshmen ladies spent the morning moving into the new Julia Tutwiler Hall dormitory.
Student Ruby Lieberknecht and her mother drove all the way from Yakima, Washington so she could move into the new dorm to begin her journey at UA.
“I get to go to football games and meet so many new people and join a sorority hopefully,” Lieberknecht said. “It’s so exciting.”
The new Tutwiler cost $145 million to build. As many of its residents move in this week, just over 2,500 will be participating in sorority recruitment, which begins Saturday.
The new Tutwiler Hall has a bed capacity of 1,284 and will feature state-of-the-art furnishings and amenities, with a hybrid community-apartment style setup of double-capacity bedrooms. Each room will feature two twin beds with a shared private bathroom.
New UA student Grayson Barnett was also excited to move in and start her college career.
“This is lots of fun [and] there’s lots of stuff to move in, that’s for sure, but I am excited to get started with school and all that stuff,” Barnett said.
The building will also feature public community spaces with TVs and whiteboards, outdoor social spaces, laundry rooms on each floor, a fitness area, a craft room and a large storm shelter which will also serve as a multipurpose room. | 2022-08-04T04:35:06Z | www.cbs42.com | UA students begin early move in back to campus | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/ua-students-begin-early-move-in-back-to-campus/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/ua-students-begin-early-move-in-back-to-campus/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — President Biden is expected to sign legislation soon to benefit veterans impacted by burn pits.
The Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act passed with a vote of 86-11 in the Senate on Tuesday.
The PACT Act will expand health care benefits to an estimated 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It adds conditions related to burn pit and toxic exposure, including hypertension, to the Department of Veterans Affair’s list of illnesses.
The passage ended a standoff after Senate Republicans unexpectedly blocked the bill last week during a procedural vote. Twenty-five Republicans who initially voted to advance the bill in June changed their votes last week. Some Republicans claimed the bill created a “budgetary gimmick” by moving $400 billion spent by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to mandatory spending.
The bill also removes the burden of proof from veterans seeking care for exposure-related conditions.
Alabama Senators Tommy Tuberville and Richard Shelby were among the 11 Republicans who voted against the passage of the bill.
Burn pits are holes soldiers use to burn human and trash waste.
US Army veteran Jay Gibbs tells CBS 42 News just the cloud of smoke alone is toxic for soldiers on the field. He says they tried to protect themselves by covering their faces with masks, but there was still no way to escape toxic chemicals.
“At the time, I didn’t think anything about it. Because when a sand storm would come, I would be covered in it but knowing the difference of what was in that sand storm or what was in that smoke was a big difference,” Gibbs said.
Those toxic chemicals bring long-term health conditions, including hypertension, high blood pressure, and several cancers.
Gibbs, who now serves as the executive director of Three Hots and A Cot Veteran Center, says several veterans at the center have conditions from toxic burn pits, including him.
At 26, he says his breathing was affected by the toxic chemicals from burn pits.
“I wear a c-pap machine,” Gibbs said. “I wheeze a lot, and I catch myself a lot of times out here, and I think to myself, ‘man, is that ok?'”
US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough released this statement on the passage:
“Veterans who were exposed to toxic fumes while fighting for our country are American heroes, and they deserve world-class care and benefits for their selfless service. The bipartisan PACT Act will help VA deliver for those Veterans — and their survivors — by empowering us to presumptively provide care and benefits to Vets suffering from more than 20 toxic exposure-related conditions. To those Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors: you can apply for PACT Act benefits by filing a claim at VA, and you can learn more about the PACT Act at VA.gov/PACT or by calling us at 1-800-MyVA411. We’ll be communicating with you every step of the way to make sure that you and your loved ones get the benefits you’ve earned. We couldn’t be more grateful to President Biden, who made this day possible by fighting like hell for our nation’s Veterans. Once the President signs this bill into law, we at VA will implement it quickly and effectively, delivering the care these Veterans need and the benefits they deserve.”
Others locally and nationally are also responding to the bill’s passing.
“To our veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits, we have your back,” US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said.
“It’s big on our hearts; it lets us know that every little thing and it shows that people still care,” Gibbs said.
Senator Tuberville released a statement on Twitter regarding his “No” vote: “Ensuring veterans have access to quality care is a priority of mine. Unfortunately, I do not believe the Pact Act will enable the VA to efficiently deliver care and benefits to veterans suffering from illnesses related to toxic exposure. We can do better.”
Senator Shelby, who has stated he will not seek another term, also tweeted out a statement regarding his vote against the bill: “Throughout my career, I’ve remained a strong advocate for our veterans. However, the PACT Act would reclassify nearly $400 billion in VA funding, allowing Dems to instead spend that on their liberal wish list. I want to support the PACT Act, but this budget gimmick must be fixed.” | 2022-08-04T17:50:37Z | www.cbs42.com | Local and national reaction to veterans' toxic exposure bill passage | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/local-and-national-reaction-to-veterans-toxic-exposure-bill-passage/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/local-and-national-reaction-to-veterans-toxic-exposure-bill-passage/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — We’re continuing to follow developing news after the Biden Administration declared the monkeypox outbreak a ‘national public health emergency.’
Local health officials said monkeypox cases in Alabama are low, sitting at around 19 reported. Local leaders are helping the public better understand how this declaration can help to better fight the monkeypox outbreak.
Jefferson County Department of Health Medical Director of Disease Control Dr. Wesley Willeford said cases are going up faster than health experts want them to.
“I think this step is going to help us get closer to getting the resources that we need to really begin to contain this viral infection,” Willeford said. “It also helps to mobilize other resources in the federal government to really help coordinate and respond to this problem with a lot of force and vigor.”
The U.S. is leading all countries in the number of reported cases of monkeypox. UAB infectious diseases Dr. Michael Saag said in three months we’ve seen about half as many cases as we did of AIDS in almost two years.
“I don’t think there’s any reason for the general public to become too alarmed or panicked by this,” Saag said. “The good news is for the general public this is not at all likely to play out unless you happen to have close, physical contact with someone who has active lesions.”
Officials said COVID-19 and monkeypox are very different. COVID moves through the air and monkeypox through close physical contact between two people.
“It’s important that they isolate away from other people for the duration of their illness so that they can basically not pass that on to someone else,” Willeford said. “I think that’s going to be the main thing we can do to control the spread of monkeypox.”
Willeford said monkeypox mainly spreads through touch, even by touching clothing or bed linens of an infected person before those articles are washed. Fevers, chills and most prominent skin puss-filled lesions are the most common symptoms. Saag said those lesions can be small to large and often quite painful.
If you see these on you or had skin-to-skin contact with someone who does, you’re encouraged to contact your healthcare provider immediately. | 2022-08-05T04:44:25Z | www.cbs42.com | Impact of monkeypox as ‘national public health emergency’ in Alabama | https://www.cbs42.com/news/impact-of-monkeypox-as-national-public-health-emergency-in-alabama/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/impact-of-monkeypox-as-national-public-health-emergency-in-alabama/ |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Eight different police agencies and 15 canine teams trained at the University of Alabama for three days this week on how to locate explosive devices.
UAPD Sergeant John Turner says this training is invaluable and helps prepare handlers and their K-9 partners for real-world experiences.
“We do a very good job of being proactive and lots of people around here see how proactive we are. Our dogs here at the University are sometimes used by other agencies,” Turner said. “We have assisted them with shell casing and firearm searches [and] have been successful in doing so.”
During the demonstration on Thursday, realistic threat devices were strategically placed throughout Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The canine teams were tasked with finding the threats.
Turner says the drills and practices help UAPD officers and their dogs prepare for the Alabama football season, as it’s their job to make sure Bryant Denny stadium and other sporting venues on campus are safe.
“Gameday is an extremely long day for us with a lot of K-9 searches there are multiple perimeters to establish,” Turner said. “We have lots of security measures in place to make a safe environment for our fans so they can enjoy their experience better.”
Police department agencies from Huntsville, Birmingham, UA, Demopolis, Pelham and Tuscaloosa participated in the training sessions this week alongside the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Mississippi Canine Team. | 2022-08-05T04:44:37Z | www.cbs42.com | Explosives detection dog training in Tuscaloosa | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/explosives-detection-dog-training-in-tuscaloosa/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/explosives-detection-dog-training-in-tuscaloosa/ |
Rain chances aren’t Zero, but They are Minimal as we near the Weekend.
TONIGHT: A comfortable evening with temperatures in the mid 70s. Rain has ended and the sky becomes partly cloudy.
TOMORROW: Another nice, dry start to the day with a mix of sun and clouds by afternoon. A ridge of high pressure begins to build and that will ease our rain chances as we round out the week. Highs will return to the low 90s and those heat index values will be back in the upper 90s. An isolated afternoon storm can’t be ruled out, but any rain we get shouldn’t last too long. This is summer in the south after all.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK: Saturday will be a lot like Friday but instead of 1 out 5 people seeing rain it may go up to 1 out of 4. Still 20-30% coverage. That changes a bit Sunday as this ridge of high pressure relaxes. We could see more coverage of those late afternoon storms. | 2022-08-05T04:44:57Z | www.cbs42.com | Rain chances aren’t Zero, but They are Minimal as we near the Weekend. | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/rain-chances-arent-zero-but-they-are-minimal-as-we-near-the-weekend/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/rain-chances-arent-zero-but-they-are-minimal-as-we-near-the-weekend/ |
Mother of Louisiana teen killed in shooting says bullets weren’t meant for him
ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) — The mother of an Abbeville teen who was murdered is speaking out, saying her son was not the intended target of the shooters.
Jazaylon Levy, 18, was killed in the shooting at Stone Bridge Apartments in July. Donald Briggs III, 25, and Stefan Briggs, 19, both of Abbeville, were arrested for first-degree murder.
Clutching her son’s ashes, Levy said these and her memories are what she has left of Jazaylon.
On July 14, the ambitious, outgoing teen with dreams of becoming a football star was gunned down.
Two days after his funeral, Abbeville police arrested and charged two men for his murder. His mother said detectives told her that her son was just a bystander.
Levy added that investigators told her that her son was helping a woman take out her trash when he was fatally shot. | 2022-08-05T17:38:25Z | www.cbs42.com | Mother of Louisiana teen killed in shooting says bullets weren't meant for him | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/mother-of-louisiana-teen-killed-in-shooting-says-bullets-werent-meant-for-him/ | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/mother-of-louisiana-teen-killed-in-shooting-says-bullets-werent-meant-for-him/ |
Photos of credit card skimmers taken from machines (Photos courtesy of the Tuscaloosa Police Department).
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) – Tuscaloosa authorities are warning residents to be wary of credit card skimmers possibly being placed on gas station pumps along Interstate 59/20.
The Tuscaloosa Police Department posted about the danger on their Facebook page Friday. TPD says they are aware of the threat and that their criminal investigations division has checked gas stations along the interstate and surrounding area. They have not found any skimmers currently in use.
TPD says they believe that the offenders purposely target gas stations along interstates. The offenders place the devices on pumps, move on to the next exit and then return to the location after some time. This makes it less likely that incriminating video surveillance can be found. They then use the victim’s credit card information to make fraudulent purchases.
TPD spokesperson Stephanie Taylor says there are many different methods to check if there is a skimmer on a card reader.
“You can check and see if there’s space between the card reader and the underlying panel,” Taylor says. “Since it’s placed over the existing pump, it may stick out at a strange angle. Look around at the other pumps and see if the card reader or PIN pad look any different.”
A person may also notice an obstruction or a lot of “wiggle room” when inserting their card, which Taylor warns could be the sign of a skimmer. Physically touching and moving the panel can also test to see if there has been tampering with the device.
“Is the tape smooth or does it look like it’s been ripped or torn? Does the panel seem like it’s not securely attached to the pump?” Taylor said. “You can also pull on it a little. A real credit card reader will stay firmly attached to the pump but a skimmer will pop right out.”
Taylor advises avoiding using the PIN pad if you have the option of choosing credit instead of debit. Travelers are advised to routinely check their bank statements after paying at the pump.
To report any unusual or fraudulent activity happening in Tuscaloosa, you are asked to contact TPD at 205-349-2121. The Federal Trade Commission also has information on its website on how to report and recover from identity theft. | 2022-08-06T02:40:41Z | www.cbs42.com | Credit card skimmers reported on gas pumps along I-59/20 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/credit-card-skimmers-reported-on-gas-pumps-along-i-59-20/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/credit-card-skimmers-reported-on-gas-pumps-along-i-59-20/ |
SUNDAY: We will see a better chance of showers and storms Sunday afternoon as this ridge of high pressure begins to relax a bit. That will allow for more diurnally driven storms to impact your afternoon. Showers and storms could produce some locally heavy rain. As always during this time of year, keep an eye to the sky and stay apprised to quick changing weather.
FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL: Unfortunately, it looks like it could be a bit of a messy start to the week weather wise. Although most mornings should remain dry, it’s the afternoon activity that could impact the return home from school. We have a tropical airmass sitting over us and front moving in from the north west. With these set up, our atmosphere will stay a bit unstable. Severe weather is NOT expected in the coming days, but, as we’ve seen all summer, these storms can produce localized downpours and can sometimes have quite a bit of lightning.
TROPICAL WEATHER: There is no tropical activity expected for the next 5 days. | 2022-08-07T03:58:24Z | www.cbs42.com | Increase in Storms Sunday Afternoon | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/increase-in-storms-sunday-afternoon/ | https://www.cbs42.com/weather/increase-in-storms-sunday-afternoon/ |
Bessemer shooting investigation (CBS 42)
BESSEMER, Ala. (WIAT) — A man is injured and a woman is in custody following a shooting in Bessemer Monday morning.
According to the Bessemer Police Department, the shooting happened just before 6 a.m. They say a male victim was shot several times and taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police say a female suspect left the scene on foot but was found shortly after on Powder Plant Road. | 2022-08-08T15:05:14Z | www.cbs42.com | Man injured, woman in custody after shooting in Bessemer | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/man-injured-woman-in-custody-after-shooting-in-bessemer/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/man-injured-woman-in-custody-after-shooting-in-bessemer/ |
Intern With CBS 42
Interested in interning with CBS 42?
Read on for details on our Internship Program. Download the CBS 42 Internship Application Form
CBS 42 INTERNSHIP AGREEMENTDownload
As a part of our commitment to educational enrichment and community service, CBS 42 Television in Birmingham, Ala. offers a limited number of highly-sought unpaid internships aimed at providing a springboard for college students interested in developing careers in broadcast and journalism. These internships are offered to selected participants currently enrolled in institutions of higher learning. Student interns will experience different phases of a television station’s day-to-day operations as a supplement to their academic curriculum.
Internship Areas:
News Producing
Digital Producing
Editing/Production
Sports Writing and Producing
CBS 42 Television internships are made available to juniors and senior, registered in a four-year undergraduate program, at an accredited college or university. Applicants should possess declared majors in communications, journalism, broadcast production techniques or some similar related area. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. The applicant must receive academic credit for the internship experience in a course specifically for internship as described and defined by the institution’s own course listing.
– The applicant will be required to present proof of their GPA, be referred by their career services director or professor from the current college, along with a copy of an academic record that reflects the major and minor fields of study in an official document provided by or can be confirmed by your institution.
– Able to receive college credit for this internship in a course which requires the internship for credit.
– A responsible student that can be recommended for the program by at least two institution professionals, such as a professor, counselor or department chairman.
– Willing to work mornings, nights and/ or weekends as assigned and at least two community service projects occurring during the internship period. We will do our best to work with your schedule.
If interested in Digital/Web Operations: In addition to general requirements, must have some writing skills. Experience with web content, video editing or content management systems is a plus, but not required.
CBS 42-TV Internship
The programs for semester credits begin in September, January and late May. Exact dates TBD.
You must submit the following :
Complete the CBS 42 internship agreement (link at the top of the page).
Cover letter (Please include answers to the following questions):
State clearly the area in which you are interested.
Make sure that the contact’s information for your institution is clearly printed: name and title and at least two phone numbers.
Why are you interested in working with CBS 42 versus other stations in the market?
Specifically, what industry job are you hoping to be hired for after graduation and where?
Present two letters of recommendation.
An official notice of your academic GPA standing, (a grade point average of 2.5 GPA or higher) and proof of your major/minor fields of study. You may not participate in an internship if you are on academic warning or scholastic probation.
Academic proof and letters of recommendation can be attached to your online application (email scan to: internship@wiat.com ) or mailed to:
CBS 42 Television
2075 Golden Crest Drive
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Attn: Internship Coordinator
After your information is received, you will be advised if you will advance to the next stage of the application process. It is imperative that your initial application package is complete and your information is correct when submitting it for review. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
Please note: You will not be notified of the internship start until you are accepted.
CBS 42 is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug Free Workplace! | 2022-08-08T20:39:27Z | www.cbs42.com | Intern With CBS 42 | CBS 42 | https://www.cbs42.com/our-station/intern-with-cbs-42-2/ | https://www.cbs42.com/our-station/intern-with-cbs-42-2/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — From drag racing to donuts and now a deadly shooting – Birmingham Police said so-called exhibition driving led to a shooting that left one woman dead and four others hurt.
Winston was killed early Sunday morning in a parking lot on 2nd Ave. N. After an investigation, police said several people were in that lot performing what’s called exhibition driving. They say two cars collided, then shots rang out. Two other women and two men were also hurt.
Lili Trujillo Puckett lost her daughter in 2014 to the crime and is now a national advocate for safe and responsible mentoring diversion. She launched the nonprofit “Street Racing Kills.” | 2022-08-09T03:59:49Z | www.cbs42.com | Birmingham city leaders work to put brakes on exhibition driving | https://www.cbs42.com/news/birmingham-city-leaders-work-to-put-brakes-on-exhibition-driving/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/birmingham-city-leaders-work-to-put-brakes-on-exhibition-driving/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — From drag racing to donuts, and now a deadly shooting, Birmingham Police said exhibition driving is what led to an incident that left one woman dead and four others hurt.
Winston was killed early Sunday morning in a parking lot on 2nd Avenue North. After an investigation, police said several people were in that lot performing “exhibition driving.” They say two cars collided, then shots rang out. Two other women and two men were also hurt.
Lili Trujillo Puckett lost her daughter in 2014 to the crime and is now a national advocate for safe and responsible mentoring diversion. She launched a nonprofit called “Street Racing Kills.” | 2022-08-09T11:44:05Z | www.cbs42.com | Birmingham city leaders work to put brakes on exhibition driving | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-city-leaders-work-to-put-brakes-on-exhibition-driving/ | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/birmingham-city-leaders-work-to-put-brakes-on-exhibition-driving/ |
'Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience' is coming to Wisconsin Center this fall
Now it's Claude Monet's turn to take over the Wisconsin Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.
This fall, "Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience" will take over the center with a walk-through multimedia spectacle of the French Impressionist painter's poppies, water lilies and other familiar images.
The Monet spectacle comes from Normal Studio's Mathieu St-Arnaud and Félix Fradet-Faguy, the same team behind "Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience," which ended a twice-extended six-month run at the convention center in January. "We could not have hoped for a more successful event," district chief financial officer Steve Marsh told board members that month.
To sign up for access to tickets, visit monetmilwaukee.com. Ticket prices and precise show dates have not yet been announced.
Images from more than 400 works by Monet (1840-1926) are incorporated in the show.
There was no minimum age for the Van Gogh, which was designed to take about an hour to explore. Tickets were for timed entry. The current FAQ page for "Beyond Monet" states that masks are required for people walking through the exhibit.
RELATED:'Beyond Van Gogh' at Wisconsin Center surrounds visitors with colorful images from his paintings | 2022-03-15T15:25:50Z | www.jsonline.com | 'Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience' coming to Wisconsin Center | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/arts/2022/03/15/beyond-monet-immersive-experience-coming-wisconsin-center/7047233001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/arts/2022/03/15/beyond-monet-immersive-experience-coming-wisconsin-center/7047233001/ |
Milwaukee's PrideFest is returning in June after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukee Pride, Inc. announced Tuesday. The 2022 installment will mark the 25th time the fest will be held in June, the announcement said.
The event — one of the largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ festivals in the country — will be held June 2 to 4 at Henry Maier Festival Park. It will cover primarily the north part of the park, from the Midgate all the way north.
"It’s time to push forward and bring back the events and community functions that make Milwaukee so special; celebrating people is something this city does better than anywhere else … and it’s an honor to once again kick off festival season," Wes Shaver, president of Milwaukee Pride, Inc. — the fest's parent organization — said in the news release. “Let’s get back to strengthening our social fabric and raising a glass together!”
To celebrate the 25th June festival, organizers are planning a full line-up of “Throwback Thursday” themed acts and promotions "to honor the event’s past and 1996 move to the park," the announcement said. PrideFest was established in 1987.
To pay homage to the 1996 $4 gate admission and to support local food pantries, attendees can bring four canned, nonperishable food items for admission from 4 to 6 p.m. June 2.
And from 4 to 8 p.m. June 2, there will be a happy hour that includes beer, wine, cocktails and soda at 1996 pricing, the announcement said. Programming that night will include a line-up of '90s music, drag shows, entertainers, DJs and more.
Since the last time the festival was held, there are new stages, food vendor buildings, an expanded Health and Wellness area, children’s and family programing and more, the announcement said.
The festival is the sole revenue provider for Milwaukee Pride and funds all of the charitable and community reinvestments the organization contributes across the city and state, the announcement said.
In October 2021, the group put on a new, "scaled-back version" of the festival, called PridetoberFest, "to provide an outlet to celebrate PRIDE and also serve as an exercise to reassemble the festival production team and start recruiting volunteers."
“Milwaukee Pride received zero dollars in governmental aid, stimulus programs, grants or PPP funding,” Shaver said. “It’s a daunting task, moving forward producing a seven-figure event knowing you need to be cognizant of the lack of revenue for two whole years and how that’s impacted the planning process. I am very proud of our team and the work done to operate a professional, sustainable, and thoughtful event AND organization."
More information on acts, programming and online ticket sales will be announced in the coming weeks. For updates, visit pridefest.com or facebook.com/mkepride. | 2022-03-15T17:19:17Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee PrideFest returns in June 2022 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2022/03/15/milwaukee-pridefest-returns-june-2022/7046992001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2022/03/15/milwaukee-pridefest-returns-june-2022/7046992001/ |
All students in the School District of Waukesha will be offered free breakfast and lunch for the rest of the school year beginning March 28, administrators decided after waffling by the school board.
Students at eight schools had been left out this school year from the district's breakfast program, despite the availability of federal COVID-relief funds to pay for the meal at all schools.
The decision to expand the breakfast program came after school board member Greg Deets accused administrators of failing to honor the board's vote in August to participate in the federally funded program to provide free meals.
Administrators had said they understood the August vote to mean they could use the program to fund free meals at schools where they already offered meals — and they were never serving breakfast at all schools.
After Deets raised the issue in February, more delays ensued, as board members disagreed with Deets and said they hadn't intended to expand breakfast to all schools.
"We will not have enough for the people who actually need it, for the kids who actually won’t eat, if we just give it to everyone all the time," board member Karin Rajnicek said. "We will become dependent.”
Deets requested the district survey families about whether they would use the breakfast program. A month later, administrators returned to the school board with a draft survey. Board members then voted not to do the survey but to leave the decision about breakfast up to district administrators.
In a letter to families Monday afternoon, Superintendent Jim Sebert and Chief Financial Officer Darren Clark said they'd decided to offer breakfast at all schools. Their letter didn't provide reasons for their decision; nor did a a spokesperson for the district.
Before their decision, a community group called the Alliance for Education in Waukesha had said they would start providing breakfast at the schools if administrators did not. The group applauded administrators' choice and invited board members to join them at a food drive Saturday, 9:30 to 11 a.m., at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Waukesha.
Waukesha is not the only district to have opted out of serving breakfast at all schools this year.
About 12% of Wisconsin's eligible public and private schools are not offering breakfast, a total of 280 schools with thousands of economically disadvantaged students, according to a Journal Sentinel analysis of data from the Department of Public Instruction.
Of Wisconsin's school districts, Waukesha accounts for the highest number of students considered economically disadvantaged who have not been receiving breakfast.
According to DPI data, the eight Waukesha schools without breakfast have 648 students who are economically disadvantaged, about 22% of the total enrollment at those schools. The lowest percentage, at Rose Glen Elementary, is about 10%, while the highest, at Bethesda Elementary, is about 36%.
Historically, universal free breakfast has been publicly funded when at least 40% of a student body is considered economically disadvantaged. The federal funding to provide free breakfast to all students regardless of income, an extension of a program called the "Seamless Summer Option," is set to expire at the end of June. | 2022-03-15T17:19:23Z | www.jsonline.com | Waukesha flips again, will offer free breakfast at all schools | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/03/15/waukesha-flips-again-offer-free-breakfast-all-schools/7048478001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/03/15/waukesha-flips-again-offer-free-breakfast-all-schools/7048478001/ |
Milwaukee County Board approves $45 million for the new Milwaukee Public Museum building
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $45 million county contribution to help finance the Milwaukee Public Museum's new building, an important component of the $240 million project.
The board approved the funding on a 14-4 vote, with Supervisors Priscilla E. Coggs-Jones, Russell Goodwin Sr., Sylvia Ortiz-Velez and Sequanna Taylor opposing the funding. Coggs-Jones and Ortiz-Velez first voted in favor before changing their votes.
The board's Finance and Parks, Energy and Environment committees recommended approval for the funding at a lengthy meeting last week.
County Executive David Crowley plans to sign the legislation.
With this approval, the museum is expected to ramp up its $150 million private fundraising campaign. It has secured $40 million from the state and is seeking $5 million in federal grants.
Milwaukee Public Museum President and Chief Executive Officer Ellen Censky thanked the County Board for its support for the $45 million in borrowing, saying in a statement that the funds "will help ensure that its collections will be preserved long into the future and that this institution can continue to educate, influence and delight our community for generations to come."
She said the county and state funds ensure that the new museum will be a public-private partnership.
"The next evolution of the museum will build on our history of presenting ideas and information to our visitors in innovative ways by doing so in a new, world-class building," she said in the statement.
The museum's new facility will be located just north of Fiserv Forum's parking structure and will be renamed the Wisconsin Museum of Nature and Culture in recognition of fundraising from across Wisconsin and its status as the most-visited museum in the state.
Museum officials hope to start construction late next year, with completion in the spring of 2026.
The current facility has been located at 800 W. Wells St. since 1963 and offers about 150,000 square feet of exhibit space in the 480,000-square-foot building the county owns.
The current building is too big, inefficient and in need of $70 million in deferred maintenance projects. In all, its renovation would cost $250 million, according to the museum.
With interest on the $45 million in borrowing, the county would spend about $55 million on the new facility. That means $3.7 million more in annual debt payments, according to the county comptroller's office.
Currently, the county provides $3.5 million per year to help support the museum's operations. The museum itself is a nonprofit that houses collections the county owns.
The county's provision of $45 million will mean annual county support will drop to $1 million when the new museum opens. But the county also has an additional $1.5 million annual expense for the county-owned building that currently houses the museum, Comptroller Scott Manske said previously.
The museum's new building will also house the Betty Brinn Children's Museum, which has been at 929 E. Wisconsin Ave. in O'Donnell Park since 1995.
The special meeting on the museum funding was held Tuesday instead of waiting for a March 24 regular County Board meeting in part to provide a cushion ahead of a mid-April deadline to submit an accreditation report to the American Alliance of Museums, said Supervisor Jason Haas, who chairs the Finance Committee.
The report must show progress toward obtaining a new facility, Censky said previously.
A decision regarding the reaccreditation of the museum was delayed a year ago because of significant problems with the county's building. If it were to lose accreditation, the museum would be rendered unsustainable, according to the museum. | 2022-03-15T19:12:30Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Public Museum to get $45 million from county for new site | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/15/milwaukee-public-museum-get-45-million-dollars-county-new-building/7046409001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/15/milwaukee-public-museum-get-45-million-dollars-county-new-building/7046409001/ |
Developers have shared plans to renovate one of Shorewood’s largest commercial buildings and rebrand the corner of North Oakland Avenue and Capitol Drive as the Shorewood Hub.
Dominion Properties explained the Shorewood Hub would be developed in two phases, starting with the renovation of the seven-story office building at 3970 N. Oakland Ave.
Phase 2 includes several proposed uses for a property at 1901 E. Capitol Drive, including a 100-unit residential development, bank or daycare center.
A focus on sustainability and community
Dominion’s planned uses for the Capitol Drive property include 80 market-rate units and 20 affordable units for people with disabilities.
Christopher Adams, Dominion Properties co-founder, said the group has partnered with AbleLight “for the inclusion of apartments for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.”
More:Proposed five-story apartment development would serve people with disabilities in Wauwatosa
Potential uses for the space include a daycare center for up to 100 children, community or youth center, restaurant, bank branch and more depending on public feedback.
“We are looking at a project that is very community based, as you see with the potential uses,” he said.
Adams said the group is working with an architect to determine what uses would work best for the property.
“Once we have that, with the initial responses that we got from the Village Board being positive, then we will present what we would like to apply to the residents of the village,” Adams said.
The 40,800-square-foot office building was sold by Wisconsin Robinson Family LP to Dominion 10 LLC and Dominion 11 LLC for $4.5 million last year, according to a state real estate filing.
Adams said the building was built in 1974.
“It never had any updating, so that’s all being renovated,” said Adams. That’ll finish in the summer.”
Last year, Dominion also purchased a 7,500-square-foot office building on Capitol Drive for $500,000 from Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee Hospital Inc.
Adams said Dominion will host a meeting open to the public in the next three to four months after creating preliminary designs.
Adams said he hopes to have the project approved by the village this year, with construction starting in 2023. | 2022-03-15T21:04:58Z | www.jsonline.com | Shorewood Hub includes apartments for people with disabilities | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/shorewood/2022/03/15/shorewood-hub-includes-apartments-people-disabilities/7051024001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/shorewood/2022/03/15/shorewood-hub-includes-apartments-people-disabilities/7051024001/ |
A proposed $149.8 million referendum would close Nathan Hale and West Allis Central high schools. Here's what you need to know.
Taxpayers in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District will see a $149.8 million referendum on the April 5 ballot.
If approved, the district would close Nathan Hale and West Allis Central high schools and create a new consolidated high school.
Here are 6 things you need to know about what's being proposed:
What would be the result of a yes vote?
If approved, both high schools would be closed and Nathan Hale would be repurposed and remodeled to create a new, merged comprehensive and modern high school, according to the referendum information page on the West Allis-West Milwaukee district website.
The plan would create an opportunity for savings for taxpayers and a better high school experience for students, according to the district.
The new high school would have expanded career and technical education ("shop") spaces that build on the community's rich manufacturing history while creating new school-to-work pathways for students.
There would be 100,000-square-feet less to heat, cool and keep clean.
Consolidating the high schools would also result in the following: reduction in positions such as principal, assistant principal, secretaries, custodian and others; reduction in utility costs; reduction in waste removal costs; and reduction in annual facility maintenance costs.
Total annual savings with consolidation is projected to be between $2.5 million and $3 million.
Why is the referendum needed?
The school district faces three facility-related challenges:
Aging schools. The average age of schools in the district is over 76 and they're challenging and expensive to maintain. An independent analysis found that many of the district's 23 buildings urgently need either repair or potential replacement due to infrastructure and building systems needs stemming from their advanced age.
Too much square footage. In addition to having old facilities, the district operates too many schools for its current and projected enrollment. The district's enrollment has dropped significantly and has recently stabilized. In 1975, more than 12,000 students attended three district high schools, four intermediate schools and 16 elementary schools. Today, the district serves about 7,400 students at two high schools, one project-based learning high school, three intermediate schools and 11 elementary schools.
Current facilities do not support modern learning. Because of the age of the school buildings and the way they were designed, many of the district's current facilities do not support a modern curriculum and how learning now takes place. This is especially true for the career and technical education spaces. MATC would partner with WAWM to fund and equip the new CTE spaces and share the shops. The district is looking to expand opportunities for its high school students to receive college credits and for MATC students to learn in modern facilities.
What kind of tax impact would there be?
If approved, the borrowing would create a yearly debt service tax levy increase of roughly $119 for every $100,000 of property value, according to the district.
If there's a yes vote, the district said community members will be able to take advantage of historically low interest rates and, because of good financial planning, the projected tax rate would still be less than what it was in 2020.
What's the wording of the referendum question on the ballot?
More:Proposed $77.4 million Nicolet High School facilities referendum to go on April ballot
More:Fox Point-Bayside School District voters to decide on $58.5 million referendum for new middle school, Stormonth Elementary repairs
What would the timeline for consolidation look like?
If approved, the consolidation would begin in the 2023-24 school year and be implemented in phases, taking place over three to four years.
The new school would be named at a future date. There would be plans to memorialize both schools — school history, athletic achievements, etc. — in the new school.
The first graduating class of the new high school would be the district's current seventh-graders.
The district has scheduled community information sessions where the public can learn more about the referendum:
6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, Nathan Hale H.S. Auditorium
6 p.m. Thursday, March 31, virtual
10 a.m. Saturday, April 2, West Milwaukee Intermediate School Library
The district has information on its website, at https://www.wawmsd.org/discover/facility-planning, including a link to a community information Zoom session from earlier this month. | 2022-03-15T21:05:04Z | www.jsonline.com | West Allis Central, Nathan Hale could close under new referendum | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/west-allis/2022/03/15/what-to-know-about-west-allis-west-milwaukee-149-8-million-school-referendum/6985794001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/west-allis/2022/03/15/what-to-know-about-west-allis-west-milwaukee-149-8-million-school-referendum/6985794001/ |
If this week's warmer weather has you wanting to get to a beer garden ASAP, you're in luck.
Milwaukee's South Shore Terrace Kitchen and Beer Garden, which is operated by Milwaukee County Parks, is opening for the 2022 season on Thursday.
"We have the best view in the city, we're right on the beach steps away from Lake Michigan, and we give back to the parks," said John Wasilowski, unit coordinator in the food and beverage department for the parks.
All 20 taps will feature MillerCoors offerings, he said, including ones from Leinenkugel's, Terrapin and Atwater Brewery.
"As we transition more into our late spring, early summer mode, we'll start getting some special releases we're really excited about," he said.
For the first part of the season, a light food menu featuring South Shore staples will be served. It will include cheese curds; a Munich burger that features a 6-ounce beef patty topped with a brat, cabbage, cheese and mustard on a pretzel bun; a Hoan Bridge burger, which is a standard, customizable burger; a pretzel; and a Friday fish fry.
The full food menu will be rolled out around mid-May, Wasilowski said.
Milwaukee County Parks beer gardens will be transitioning back to their glassware program this year from the single-use plastic cups used during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Wasilowski.
People can bring their own pint glass or liter stein to get filled up. Or, people can purchase a pint glass for $2 or a liter stein glass for $5 at the beer garden. People who purchase glassware get a discounted refill price, Wasilowski said.
The beer garden will be "ebbing and flowing" regarding COVID guidelines. It will start off the season with some measures that people have gotten used to the last couple of years, he said, including the use of green bricks to indicate a clean table and red ones to show it's dirty.
"As things change — like they have been weekly, it feels like — we'll change with them," he said.
Depending on sunset times, the beer garden will initially be open from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In late April or early May, hours will be extended to 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, visit buff.ly/2GbPQpU or facebook.com/SouthShoreTerrace.
Tentative opening dates have been set for other area beer gardens, including April 22 for Estabrook Beer Garden and Whitnall Beer Garden, and May 26 for The Vine Humboldt, according to a Tuesday news release from Milwaukee County Parks.
The Traveling Beer Gardens, a pair of simultaneously running tours that travel to different Milwaukee County parks throughout the summer, are also on the horizon.
Those dates, locations and changes will be announced Friday morning, the news release said. | 2022-03-15T21:05:10Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee South Shore Terrace Kitchen, Beer Garden opening for 2022 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/beer/2022/03/15/milwaukee-south-shore-terrace-kitchen-beer-garden-opening-2022/7047869001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/beer/2022/03/15/milwaukee-south-shore-terrace-kitchen-beer-garden-opening-2022/7047869001/ |
Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson officially launched a bid Tuesday to become county clerk of circuit court, joining retired Chief Deputy Clerk of Circuit Court Anna Hodges in the race.
The candidates are vying to succeed former Clerk of Court John Barrett, who retired from the county in late January. The election is Nov. 8.
Milwaukee County judges last month appointed Christenson to serve as interim clerk of circuit court, rejecting an application from Hodges, who served as Barrett's deputy.
The Clerk of Circuit Courts office facilitates the operations of the Milwaukee County court system, including record keeping. It has nearly 300 staff members and processes more than 150,000 case files each year, according to its website.
Christenson told the Journal Sentinel when he was appointed to the clerk of court position that he would do both jobs simultaneously but only take one salary.
He said in the county clerk position he makes about $92,000 annually and estimated the clerk of court salary, which he will be taking, is about $33,000 higher.
In a statement, Christenson said he decided to run for clerk of court because "I believe the people of Milwaukee County deserve the best court system in America."
"As Milwaukee County faces a historic rise in crime and a massive backlog in court cases, it’s even more important that our court system works for us," Christenson said in the statement. "I plan to take a collaborative approach working with all stakeholders, especially those who have been shut out of the process for too long."
More:Tony Evers spending $50 million in federal funds to boost police forces, clear court backlogs
He was elected county clerk in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
The next election for county clerk is in 2024.
Christenson said previously that he had been asked by "several" people to stay on as county clerk through the fall election, when high-stakes races for governor and U.S. Senate will be on the ballot. The county's Election Commission is within the County Clerk's Office.
Hodges in a statement highlighted her tenure in the Clerk of Circuit Courts Office, saying residents deserve a clerk with "real, hands-on experience leading court operations and expanding access to justice."
She added: "The people of Milwaukee County deserve a Clerk of Circuit Court with a proven commitment to the role, not a politician looking for a new job. As someone who keenly understands the duties of the Clerk of Circuit Court, particularly at this critical time of reopening, I hope that Mr. Christenson finds a way to prioritize his duties while campaigning and apparently continuing to hold the office of Milwaukee County Clerk." | 2022-03-15T21:05:22Z | www.jsonline.com | George Christenson joins Anna Hodges in race for clerk of courts | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/15/george-christenson-joins-anna-hodges-race-milwaukee-county-clerk-courts/7050890001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/15/george-christenson-joins-anna-hodges-race-milwaukee-county-clerk-courts/7050890001/ |
MADISON – The state Elections Commission unanimously decided not to sanction 10 Republicans — including one of the commissioners — for falsely claiming to be presidential electors in 2020, according to a letter released Tuesday.
The decision comes as scrutiny falls on Republicans around the country who sent paperwork to the National Archives purporting to be members of the Electoral College even though Donald Trump had lost the election in their states.
Among the six commissioners who concluded there was no evidence of election violations was Bob Spindell, who is also one of the 10 Republicans who posed as an elector in December 2020.
More:2 Wisconsin Republicans who acted as false electors receive subpoenas from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack
More:Wisconsin Republicans who posed as electors met in a 'secret location,' brought armed security with them, one member says
Jeff Mandell, a Madison attorney who filed the complaint against the false electors, said he was disappointed by the commission's decision and was considering appealing it to circuit court. The commission's ruling ensures that supporters of whoever loses the next presidential election will cobble together sets of false electors, he said.
"They are inviting this to happen every time," Mandell said.
Mandell said it was inappropriate for Spindell to participate in the decision given that he was one of the targets of the complaint.
Joe Biden beat Trump by nearly 21,00 votes in Wisconsin. Those results were upheld by a recount and court rulings, and the state's 10 Democratic electors gathered in the state Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020 to formally send the state's Electoral College votes to Congress.
The same day, 10 Republicans got together in the Capitol to do the same. They signed official-looking paperwork claiming to be the state's true electors and sent it to Congress, the National Archives and a federal judge.
Republicans took similar actions in six other states that Trump lost. The Republicans in four of those states claimed to be the actual electors and the Republicans in two states said they were submitting the paperwork in case a court later found them to be the rightful electors.
In February 2020, Mandell filed his complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission on behalf of the Wisconsin arm of the Service Employees International Union.
He alleged the GOP filing amounted to fraud because the Republicans knew Trump had lost. He asked the commissioners to declare what the Republicans did was illegal, which was meant to prevent anyone from taking similar actions in the future.
In a letter and legal memo released Tuesday, the commissioners found there was no reasonable suspicion that the would-be electors violated the laws the commission oversees.
"Wisconsin law does not prohibit an alternative set of electors from meeting," the commission's attorneys wrote in the memo.
Mandell and others have separately asked criminal investigators to consider filing charges. The U.S. Department of Justice has said it is looking into the matter. | 2022-03-15T21:05:28Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin Elections Commission finds no wrongdoing by fake electors | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/15/wisconsin-elections-commission-unanimously-passes-finding-republican-fake-electors-engaged-wrongdoin/6987843001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/15/wisconsin-elections-commission-unanimously-passes-finding-republican-fake-electors-engaged-wrongdoin/6987843001/ |
Punch Bowl Social hustles to hire staff, set up venue ahead of reopening before St. Patrick's Day, NCAA March Madness weekend
After being closed for two years, Punch Bowl Social will open Wednesday in time for a busy weekend in the Deer District.
Punch Bowl Social will return for the leprechauns celebrating St. Patrick's Day Thursday, and March Madness fans on Friday and Sunday, including when the Wisconsin Badgers play against Colgate on Friday.
The 'eatertainment' venue has a capacity of about 1,000 people - the largest in the Deer District - and features food, drinks and games like bowling and foosball.
More: What to know about Wisconsin men's basketball in the 2022 NCAA Tournament
"We are eager and ready to reopen our doors to Milwaukee and we look forward to a bustling week ahead," Robert Cornog Jr., CEO, chairman and co-founder of Punch Bowl Social said in a statement.
"Punch Bowl Social delivers a unique experience for all of our guests, so we are thrilled to be opening on March 16 with our full menu and entertainment experience."
The large bar and restaurant will be open 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Sundays.
Punch Bowl will also be open on select Mondays and Tuesdays for scheduled events at Fiserv Forum, such as Bucks games and concerts. Weekend brunch will resume later this month.
In the days leading up to the reopening, staff members from the Punch Bowl Social in Chicago helped get the Milwaukee venue ready, and trained new employees.
Punch Bowl plans to hire up to 100 people to make sure they are adequately staffed for the weekend.
"We have a full roster of talent from a great GM to dedicated servers and bartenders. Having said that, we are always actively looking for additional team members to help provide our formula for 'abundant hospitality,'" Cornog said.
The venue was accepting walk-in applications, conducting interviews and training on Tuesday for all departments including kitchen, bartending, wait staff and management.
Closed by COVID in spring 2020
Like much of the hospitality world, Punch Bowl shut down in spring of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic but has yet to reopen.
The reopening was delayed due to a $4 million legal battle between the old and current owners. The dispute has since been settled.
"This is an important weekend for Milwaukee and for us, and we’re thrilled to be re-opening our doors leading up to such an exciting and active weekend," Cornog said.
"But this weekend kicks off the first of many for us, we’re looking forward to future Bucks games and concerts and welcoming guests to utilize our destination as a community gathering spot for social events, private parties and more."
The Milwaukee Bucks development arm owns the building that houses Punch Bowl, and the Bucks said they welcomed the return of the business.
“We are thrilled to have Punch Bowl Social back for our fans and all guests of Fiserv Forum and Deer District,” said Michael Belot, senior vice president of ventures and development for the Milwaukee Bucks, said.
“Punch Bowl Social’s restaurant and entertainment features play an important role in Deer District’s environment and comprehensive offerings.” | 2022-03-15T22:49:16Z | www.jsonline.com | Punch Bowl reopens Wednesday in the Deer District outside Fiserv Forum | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/15/punch-bowl-reopens-wednesday-deer-district-outside-fiserv-forum/7049432001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/15/punch-bowl-reopens-wednesday-deer-district-outside-fiserv-forum/7049432001/ |
Elliot Hughes Ashley Luthern
The suspected gunman in the shooting of an off-duty Milwaukee police detective was arrested after an hourslong standoff ended peacefully Tuesday.
Two months after Detective Andrew Wilkiewicz was shot after a botched carjacking in the city's Third Ward, Chief Jeffrey Norman confirmed in a news conference at the scene that Keasean J. Ellis-Brown, 19, was taken into custody.
"This could’ve really had some horrible outcomes, but cooler heads prevail and the right type of behavior and attitudes was put forth," Norman said.
Ellis-Brown has already been charged with five felonies in connection with the Third Ward shooting, including attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
He is one of three teens charged in the incident and was the only one not to be taken into custody in the hours afterward. He has been at large since then and the FBI offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Norman said around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday police received credible information that Ellis-Brown was inside a house along the 2900 block of North 9th Street, in the North Division neighborhood of Milwaukee's north side.
After arriving at the building – a duplex – Norman said Ellis-Brown refused to come out, prompting the arrival of tactical enforcement and crisis negotiation units.
Ellis-Brown exited the home around 3:30 p.m. Norman credited officers with showing "great patience."
With investigators still filing in and out of the home as he spoke, Norman said it was not yet known how long Ellis-Brown had been there, if anyone was staying with him or why he had been inside that particular building. He was not sure if any weapons were found inside.
A woman who lived in another unit of the home, who asked not to be named, said she hadn't seen Ellis-Brown before.
Timonte L. Karroll-Robinson and Dionta'e L. Hayes also are charged in connection with the Third Ward incident.
On Jan. 13, Wilkiewicz was inside of the Shack Shake, at 220 E. Buffalo St., when a delivery driver arrived outside the establishment. When the driver briefly exited the vehicle to ask if one of her three children could use the restroom, a man jumped inside of it, only to leave just as quickly after realizing kids were inside the car, according to the criminal complaint.
The man, identified in the complaint as Ellis-Brown, dropped his phone in the process, which was picked up by the driver. The man then followed her back inside the restaurant and tried to forcefully take back his phone, the complaint said.
Wilkiewicz then stepped in and identified himself as police. During the struggle, Wilkiewicz was shot nonfatally.
Ellis-Brown fled in another car with two other teens who dropped him off at his home, the complaint said. Surveillance footage from inside showed him leaving the home shortly afterwards after changing clothes. He was accompanied with another person carrying bags with various items and shoes inside.
Ellis-Brown and another teen were out on bail in other felony cases at the time of the incident, according to court records. | 2022-03-15T22:49:22Z | www.jsonline.com | Suspect in Third Ward off-duty detective shooting taken into custody | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/03/15/milwaukee-third-ward-shooting-suspect-target-9th-street-search/7053472001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/03/15/milwaukee-third-ward-shooting-suspect-target-9th-street-search/7053472001/ |
As pandemic winds down, hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites will lose Medicaid coverage
Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites are expected to lose eligibility for Medicaid coverage when the federal government lifts its public health emergency declaration, the state's top health official said Tuesday.
At an event hosted by Wisconsin Health News, the state health department's Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said that conservatively, the department is projecting a "few hundred thousand" people will lose their Medicaid coverage when the state restarts the renewal process for the 1.5 million Wisconsinites currently enrolled in the program.
"It is a huge number," she said.
The renewal process, also called "redetermination," was paused during the pandemic because states, including Wisconsin, received additional federal Medicaid funding provided they maintained continuous eligibility for those who were enrolled in the program while the federal public health emergency declaration is in place.
During that time, Wisconsin has received an additional $1.2 billion from the federal government to pay Medicaid providers in the state.
"It's been tremendously important for those members who are enrolled in the program, tremendously important for our network of provider partners," Timberlake said.
The federal public health emergency declaration runs until mid-April. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services renews it every 90 days.
Timberlake said federal officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have "told states consistently" that they will get a 60-day notice before the emergency declaration ends.
Because that notice has not yet arrived, the department believes the declaration will be renewed at least one more time, Timberlake said, pushing the earliest estimated end into mid-July.
More:New health official isn't saying whether she will avoid conflicts with former lobbying clients
The Biden administration is now in the process of working with states to prepare for the point at which the emergency declaration is lifted, estimating as many as 16 million people will become ineligible for the program nationwide, according to The Washington Post.
One of the concerns nationally, the Post reported, is that people whose income rose to just above the threshold for Medicaid will become ineligible for the programs and will not enroll in a private plan. Another concern is that those who are still eligible could slip through the cracks of the effort to renew members.
In Wisconsin, typical Medicaid enrollment hovers around 1 to 1.1 million people, Timberlake said.
She said the department plans to spread the work of renewing all members over 12 months.
"We will need to be working very hard and we have already begun these discussions ... around how to do that redetermination in a way that is fair to members and as simple as possible," she said. | 2022-03-15T22:49:28Z | www.jsonline.com | 'Huge number' in Wisconsin to lose Medicaid as COVID emergency ends | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/03/15/huge-number-wisconsin-lose-medicaid-covid-emergency-ends/7051890001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/03/15/huge-number-wisconsin-lose-medicaid-covid-emergency-ends/7051890001/ |
Reacting to the state Supreme Court's ban on unmonitored ballot drop boxes, Milwaukee plans to use drop boxes that are overseen by staff in the upcoming April 5 general election that will decide Milwaukee's next mayor as well as other major countywide seats.
A popular form of voting during the COVID-19 pandemic, unstaffed, 24-hour drop boxes were ruled inadmissible by a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge in February. An Appeals Court left them in place for the February primaries but the state Supreme Court let the ban go in place for the April 5 election.
In 2021, two suburban Milwaukee men, who were helped by the conservative nonprofit law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, sued to block the use of drop boxes.
Milwaukee's Election Commission will now be using "drive-up, staffed drop boxes" for early voting on March 26 and April 2, according to a press release issued by the commission on Tuesday.
"Voters across Wisconsin have shown a desire and demand for convenience voting options," the press release read. "The City of Milwaukee remains committed to making voting as easy and accessible as possible for our citizens."
In an email with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, wrote that the early voting site locations were designated in November. She said Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren's ruling provided for alternate absentee voting locations.
Drop boxes may not be used under Wisconsin law unless the drop box is staffed by the clerk or a properly designated alternate site, according to the decision.
"Our belief is that we are in full compliance under the order and are hopeful that this will give voters another option who may not have time to return their ballot via USPS or to come all the way to City Hall," she wrote.
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty did not respond to a request for comment.
The deadline to register by mail, at any Milwaukee Public Library and online ends Wednesday, March 16.
If residents are registering by mail, the application form must be sent to the City of Milwaukee Election Commission at 200 E. Wells St., Room 501, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Applications to register to vote must be postmarked ahead of the March 16 deadline.
Voters will have to provide proof of residence. The commission provides all acceptable proof of residence on the City of Milwaukee’s Register to Vote page.
Anyone who plans to register to vote and vote on April 5 also has to have lived at their current address for at least 28 days before the election.
Voting can also be done in-person on Election Day at designated polling places. Voters can register at the polls on Election Day. Residents can find their nearest polling place and who is on their ballot on the election commission's MyVote Wisconsin website.
The Milwaukee Elections Commission stated that voters can return their ballots to early voting sites across the city between March 26 and April 2. Voters will be able to register at the sites until April 1.
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the following early voting sites will be open:
Midtown Center, 5700 W Capitol Dr.
Zablocki Library, 3501 W Oklahoma Ave.
Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N Broadway Ave., Room 102.
Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m the following early voting sites will be open:
Bay View Library, 2566 S Kinnickinnic Ave.
East Library, 2320 N Cramer St.
Good Hope Library, 7717 W Good Hope Rd.
Tippecanoe Library, 3912 S Howell Ave.
Villard Square Library, 5190 N 35th St.
Those same nine early voting sites will be offering drive-up, staffed drop boxes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays March 26 and April 2.
Voters will not have to leave their cars to drop off their ballots with an election worker, according to the elections commission.
Absentee ballots for the April 5 Spring and Special Election were mailed on Tuesday.
Residents must be registered to vote and have to provide the Milwaukee Elections Commission a copy of their photo ID in order to vote absentee.
The deadline to request a ballot from the elections commission by mail, email, online or by fax in order to vote absentee is March 31. For those requesting a ballot online, a photo of an ID can be directly uploaded with the request.
Voters who are indefinitely confined — people who have difficulty getting to the polls due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability — are not required to provide photo ID. | 2022-03-15T22:49:40Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Elections Commission provides drive-up, staffed drop boxes | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/15/milwaukee-elections-commission-provides-drive-up-staffed-drop-boxes/7049959001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/15/milwaukee-elections-commission-provides-drive-up-staffed-drop-boxes/7049959001/ |
Here are the best NCAA Tournament games contested on Milwaukee soil (besides the Oregon-Wisconsin battle)
This year Fiserv Forum will host NCAA Tournament games for the first time, though it naturally won't be a first for Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Badgers fans looking forward to seeing their team hoop it up in Milwaukee surely recall the 2014 clash with Oregon at the Bradley Center, featuring a furious second-half rally and a delirious partisan crowd lifting UW over a major hurdle en route to the Final Four.
That game represents one of the biggest moments in the Bradley Center's history. Less remembered are other thrillers on Milwaukee soil, given that the teams competing weren't usually of interest to the local fan base. But there have been some good ones.
Milwaukee has hosted NCAA Tournament games eight times, all first- and second-round contests. In 1984, games were played at the MECCA (now UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena). The other years (1992, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2010, 2014, 2017) were all played at the Bradley Center.
These were the games that produced the greatest thrills:
10. The Wisconsin prelude (Pittsburgh 59, Wisconsin 55, 2004)
Of course, 2014 wasn't the first time the Badgers played in Milwaukee. But the hostile crowd wasn't enough against Pittsburgh in the second round of the 2004 tournament, with the Badgers the underdog as the sixth seed against the third-seeded Panthers.
Carl Krauser's tough shot with 2 minutes remaining broke a 52-all tie, and Jaron Brown made two clutch free throws after an offensive rebound with 42.8 seconds to go to give Pitt a 56-52 lead. Boo Wade's triple made it a one-point game briefly, but Krauser answered with two more free throws. Zach Morley's shot attempt — a two-pointer despite the three-point deficit — with 8 seconds left was no good.
Pittsburgh lost to Oklahoma State in the Sweet 16.
9. The Blue Raiders strike again (Middle Tennessee 81, Minnesota 72, 2017)
One year after it upset Michigan State in the first round, 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee again wreaked havoc on the Big Ten with one of the bigger shockers Milwaukee has seen in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Raiders went up by as many as 17 points despite a loud contingent of Gophers supporters in the seats. Reggie Upshaw scored 19 points and Giddy Potts had 15 for the Conference USA champion.
Middle Tennessee lost to Butler two days later, 74-65.
8. Technically speaking (Mississippi 72, Villanova 70, 1999)
One year after it was victimized in the first round by one of the most famous shots in NCAA history — a buzzer-beater by Valparaiso's Bryce Drew — Ole Miss won its first NCAA Tournament game ever in the 8 vs. 9 game.
Villanova's Malik Allen was called for a technical foul when he shoved Mississippi's Marcus Hicks to the ground before an inbound with 4.7 seconds left. Jason Harrison missed both free throws, but on the ensuing Ole Miss inbound, Michael White took a pass and ran around the floor until time ran out.
7. Milt Wagner at the MECCA (Louisville 69, Tulsa 67, 1984)
Milt Wagner hit a 12-footer from the right baseline with 5 seconds left to lift his fifth-seeded Cardinals in the final NCAA Tournament game at the MECCA, though fourth-seeded Tulsa was playing from behind all game long.
The Golden Hurricane, led by coach Nolan Richardson and his frenetic style that helped the squad average 91.6 points per game, didn't go quietly, rallying after the Cardinals took an 11-point lead with 3:45 to go. Tulsa scored eight straight points in the final 2:20 to tie the game with 34 seconds left.
Louisville advanced to the third round but lost to top-seeded Kentucky.
6. Vaughn's put-back in traffic (Memphis State 82, Arkansas 80, 1992)
David Vaughn scored off his own miss with 7.5 seconds left to lift sixth-seeded Memphis State to a win over No. 3 seed Arkansas in the second round of the 1992 tournament. Vaughn missed his 15-footer with 11 seconds left but grabbed the rebound in traffic and laid it in to complete a comeback and upset.
Memphis State, a team that included freshman Anfernee Hardaway (today the head coach at Memphis), would go on to beat Georgia Tech (which also won in a thriller in Milwaukee) in the Sweet 16 before falling to No. 4 seed Cincinnati in the Elite Eight.
The loss ended the careers of future Milwaukee Bucks Lee Mayberry and Todd Day, as well as Oliver Miller. Arkansas won the NCAA Tournament two years later.
5. Jarrett Jack's (almost) game-sealing dunk (Georgia Tech 57, Boston College 54, 2004)
Jermaine Watson's free throw gave Boston College its only lead at 54-53 with one minute to go in a second-round battle, but Jarrett Jack made two free throws to give the Yellow Jackets a lead, then stole a pass and raced ahead for an uncontested dunk with 5 seconds to go.
It was a thrilling moment — though coach Paul Hewitt was trying to tell Jack to dribble out the clock, but he couldn't hear over the crowd noise. That allowed Watson to attempt a potential game-tying shot, but his three-pointer skidded around the rim and out. Eagles leading scorer Craig Smith (19.3) scored just two points and took four shots.
Georgia Tech advanced to the championship game that season, first by beating fourth-seeded Kansas in overtime of an Elite Eight battle, 79-71, and then upsetting Oklahoma State in a national semifinal, 67-65. The Yellow Jackets lost to Connecticut for the title.
4. Wheat and the whistle (Louisville 82, Tulsa 80, 1996)
Twelve years after the teams played a memorable game at the MECCA, the same squads were back at it in the Bradley Center for a first-round tilt — the only Milwaukee-hosted tournament game that's gone to overtime.
DeJuan Wheat scored 33 points, including a big three-pointer in overtime, and the sixth-seeded Cardinals rallied from a 12-point deficit with 3:41 to go and prevailed over 11th-seeded Tulsa.
Tulsa's Cordell Love made a three-pointer with 1:07 left to give the Hurricane the lead, but Wheat answered with 47 seconds to go.
Wheat stepped out of bounds on Louisville's final possession but wasn't whistled for it, then hit 1 of 2 free throws to put his team up two points. The miss on the second attempt went out of bounds off Tulsa, allowing Louisville to get one more point when Tick Rogers split free throws. Tulsa then threw the ball out of bounds trying to set up a game-winner.
Tulsa's Steve Robinson also appeared to hit a shot that gave Tulsa a lead with 18 seconds left in regulation, but he was whistled for traveling, something TV replays seemed to dispute.
Wheat hit another late three-pointer to beat Villanova in the second round. The Cardinals eventually lost a controversial 60-59 decision against Wake Forest in the Sweet 16 when Tim Duncan got the benefit of a continuation call in the final seconds.
3. Sooner the better (Oklahoma 61, Arizona 60, 1999)
On paper, it's the biggest upset in a Milwaukee tournament game. Ryan Humphrey's tip-in with 21 seconds to play gave the 13th-seeded Sooners a stunning win under future Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson.
Arizona freshman Michael Wright stepped over the end line on an inbound pass after Oklahoma had pulled within a point. Eric Martin drew nothing but air on a three-pointer and Eduardo Najera missed the follow-up, but Humphrey was there for the tip-in.
Future Bucks player Richard Jefferson missed the fadeaway shot at the buzzer. One year later, Arizona would fall in another upset at the hands of Wisconsin in the second round of the tournament.
Oklahoma was the lowest-seeded at-large team in the tournament, but the Sooners kept right on rolling, toppling Charlotte in the second round, 85-72, before falling to top-seeded Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
2. Ridley's believe it or not (Texas 87, Arizona State 85, 2014)
The Wisconsin-Oregon game got the bulk of the attention that year, but this first-round game two days earlier came down to an actual buzzer-beater.
After Jonathan Holmes missed badly on a three-point attempt with less than 3 seconds left, big man Cameron Ridley dug out the rebound and laid it in as the buzzer sounded for a victory.
Holmes' three-point play with 32 seconds left spotted Texas a two-point lead, but Jonathan Gilling made two free throws on the other end to knot the score and set up the final possession. The game was played at an up-tempo pace, the highest-scoring game in Milwaukee's tournament dossier.
Texas lost to Michigan in the second round.
1. The Miracle in Milwaukee (Georgia Tech 79, USC 78, 1992)
James Forrest took an inbound pass from Georgia Tech teammate Matt Geiger with eight-tenths of a second left and hit a game-winning turnaround triple from 25 feet that gave the Yellow Jackets a shocking win over second-seeded USC in the second round.
Former Marquette University coach Al McGuire was on the call for CBS and briefly re-lived MU's wild buzzer-beating win in the 1977 national semifinal over Charlotte when Jerome Whitehead tipped it in. Mere moments later, Geiger's one-handed bounce pass from the baseline to midcourt with 1.1 seconds left was knocked out of bounds, leaving Tech with 0.8 on the clock and another inbound at midcourt.
Geiger found Forrest at the near wing, and Forrest unleashed the shot just before the buzzer. McGuire went crazy, with three howls of "holy mackerel."
Georgia Tech lost in the Sweet 16 to Memphis State.
The full list of NCAA Tournament games in Milwaukee
1984 (at MECCA)
No. 7 Villanova 84, No. 10 Marshall 72
No. 5 Louisville 72, No. 12 Morehead State 59
No. 2 Illinois 64, No. 7 Villanova 56
No. 5 Louisville 69, No. 4 Tulsa 67
1992 (at Bradley Center)
No. 6 Memphis State 80, No. 11 Pepperdine 70
No. 3 Arkansas 80, No. 14 Murray State 69
No. 7 Georgia Tech 65, No. 10 Houston 60
No. 2 USC 84, No. 15 Northeast Louisiana 54
No. 6 Memphis State 82, No. 3 Arkansas 80
No. 7 Georgia Tech 79, No. 2 USC 78
No. 6 Louisville 82, No. 11 Tulsa 80 (OT)
No. 3 Villanova 92, No. 14 Portland 58
No. 10 Texas 80, No. 7 Michigan 76
No. 2 Wake Forest 62, No. 15 Northeast Louisiana 50
No. 6 Louisville 68, No. 3 Villanova 64
No. 2 Wake Forest 65, No. 10 Texas 62
No. 1 Michigan State 76, No. 16 Mount St. Mary's 53
No. 9 Mississippi 72, No. 8 Villanova 70
No. 5 Charlotte 81, No. 12 Rhode Island 70
No. 13 Oklahoma 61, No. 4 Arizona 60
No. 1 Michigan State 74, No. 9 Ole Miss 66
No. 13 Oklahoma 85, No. 5 Charlotte 72
No. 6 Wisconsin 76, No. 11 Richmond 64
No. 3 Pittsburgh 53, No. 14 Central Florida 44
No. 6 Boston College 58, No. 11 Utah 51
No. 3 Georgia Tech 65, No. 14 Northern Iowa 60
No. 3 Pittsburgh 59, No. 6 Wisconsin 55
No. 3 Georgia Tech 57, No. 6 Boston College 54
No. 10 Georgia Tech 64, No. 7 Oklahoma State 59
No. 2 Ohio State 68, No. 15 UC Santa Barbara 51
No. 6 Xavier 65, No. 11 Minnesota 54
No. 3 Pittsburgh 89, No. 14 Oakland 66
No. 2 Ohio State 75, No. 10 Georgia Tech 66
No. 6 Xavier 71, No. 3 Pittsburgh 68
No. 7 Oregon 87, No. 10 BYU, 68
No. 2 Wisconsin 75, No. 15 American 35
No. 7 Texas 87, No. 10 Arizona State 85
No. 2 Michigan 57, No. 15 Wofford 40
No. 2 Wisconsin 85, No. 7 Oregon 77
No. 2 Michigan 79, No. 7 Texas 65
No. 5 Iowa State 84, No. 12 Nevada 73
No. 4 Purdue 80, No. 13 Vermont 70
No. 12 Middle Tennessee 81, No. 5 Minnesota 72
No. 4 Butler 76, No. 13 Winthrop 64
No. 4 Purdue 80, No. 5 Iowa State 76
No. 4 Butler 74, No. 12 Middle Tennessee 65 | 2022-03-16T11:16:51Z | www.jsonline.com | Best March Madness games in Milwaukee features Wisconsin basketball | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/16/best-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-games-played-milwaukee-bradley-center/6917824001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/16/best-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-games-played-milwaukee-bradley-center/6917824001/ |
Menomonee Falls Optimist Club is fundraising $1 million for an all-inclusive play area at village park
As the Menomonee Falls Optimist Club is spearheading a $1 million fundraising campaign for an all-inclusive Village Park area, the project is off to a great start as Kohl's donated $100,000 for its splash feature.
With Kohl's donation, the club has raised $496,100 from 20 donors so far, confirmed Village Planner Tyler Zwagerman.
Construction should begin this spring and be completed in the fall.
The first full season for the splash feature is slated for summer 2023, according to village officials.
More:Menomonee Falls will use an entertainment company to coordinate downtown events
More:A new deli plans to move into the space vacated by Nino's Italian Bakery in downtown Menomonee Falls
The feature will be a 1,250-square-foot circle with ground, sensor-activated fountains. It will have LED lights to change colors and will be handicap accessible.
The all-inclusive Village Park — the second and final stage of the park's developments — includes renovated tennis and dedicated pickleball courts, the splash feature and updated trails, parking, outdoor lighting, a picnic shelter and seating areas.
“We are excited to partner with the village to support its first, all-inclusive play area,” said Tara Geiter, Kohl’s director of community relations in a news release. “Kohl's is committed to supporting family health and wellness, so we are thrilled to donate this splash pad. We hope many families come and enjoy Village Park together.”
The 13,000-square-foot play area will include a central multi-level climbing feature, an accessible swing and merry-go-round, a play hill, swings and toddler play structures. The rubber surface will make it easier for those in wheelchairs or with mobility issues to navigate.
Because of the popularity of pickleball, two tennis courts are slated to be converted to pickleball courts, while two of the tennis courts will be renovated.
Other elements of the project include a picnic shelter, seating areas and asphalt trails. The entire phase will cover 2.75 acres.
“We are grateful for Kohl’s leadership and commitment to their hometown community. Village Park is on track to be one of most celebrated public spaces in Menomonee Falls and the region,” said Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald.
Second of two phases that will renovate Village Park
Fitzgerald said that this second phase is estimated to cost about $3.2 million. Of that, an estimated $2.2 million would come from public investments such as park impact fees (funds from new building permits), tourism dollars (money from the hotel tax) and tax incremental financing. The Optimist Club pledged to bring in the rest for the all-inclusive Village Park.
Last year, the village completed Phase 1 of the Village Park project. The $2.1 million cost included a multipurpose plaza space, performance stage, shelter building with restrooms, landscaping and lighting features, gathering spaces and multiple electrical access points for event vendors.
Last summer, Menomonee Falls had more than 200 events which include concert series, beer gardens and fitness and art activities.
To learn more about the Village Park project or to make a donation, visit fallsoptimistclub.org/DiscoverVillagePark. | 2022-03-16T14:23:45Z | www.jsonline.com | Fundraising for an all-inclusive play area in Menomonee Falls | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/03/16/menomonee-falls-optimist-club-fundraising-all-inclusive-play-area-at-village-park/7040389001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/03/16/menomonee-falls-optimist-club-fundraising-all-inclusive-play-area-at-village-park/7040389001/ |
Businesses and economic development agencies tackle the worker shortage in the Milwaukee suburbs
"Help wanted." "Workers needed." "Staffing positions available, inquire within."
The wording may vary, but chances are you've seen similar signs on many businesses in the Milwaukee suburbs as employers seek to hire more workers.
And it's been a challenge.
"It's a candidate-driven market right now," said JP Garcia, partner and director of sales & recruiting for the West Allis location of Express Employment Professionals, a global staffing provider. "People walk in the door and leave with a job," he said.
Statewide unemployment numbers show that most people who want a job, have one.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate declined to a record low of 2.8% in December, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The data also showed that the total number of people in Wisconsin who are counted as unemployed declined to a record low of 86,200.
One way employers are trying to improve their hiring success is by increasing wages because they have to, Garcia said, which has resulted in a de facto increase in the minimum wage.
"There's always been a lot of talk to push the national minimum wage to $15 an hour, and while that didn't technically happen from a legality standpoint, it did happen," he said. "Because everybody's paying at least 15, and if you're not, then you're probably not in the game very much."
Some employers turning down orders due to lack of workers
The leader of the Waukesha County Business Alliance, a countywide chamber of commerce with more than 1,200 member organizations representing more than 75,000 employees, said most employers are telling the WCBA that they're in an expansion and hiring mode.
Because of the tight labor market and difficulty in filling open positions, WCBA President and CEO Suzanne Kelley said some employers are turning down potential orders or are having to get creative to meet the demands of their customers.
"They are partnering with other organizations to fill orders, seeking new suppliers and, unfortunately, moving some work to other locations, sometimes outside of Wisconsin, where the labor market is not as tight," Kelley said.
She said nearly every business leader they talk to says their company is affected by the shortage, with construction, health care, manufacturing and retail/hospitality among the hardest hit industries.
Eatery offering partnerships as an incentive
Edwin Ordones, owner of McCoco's Restaurant, which opened in January in West Allis, isn't offering sky-high wages, but he is taking a strategic approach in an effort to woo workers.
Ordones plans to expand his business beyond a single restaurant, so he's looking to not only keep his current restaurant staffed, but employ workers at potential future locations.
To do it, he's offering his employees a chance to become his partner — without cost.
"So if they learn the system, which we're going to develop in the next year, they will be my business partners with no money," he said. "I want a kid that could be 17 years old and be able to run the kitchen and run the bar and manage the place. That's how easy I want this business to be."
Ordones said he started working in the restaurant business as a server when he was 17, saved his money, and opened his first restaurant at 23.
"People nowadays, they don't like what they do, and they don't see growth and they just quit," he said. "They keep changing. So it's hard to get people right now."
Garcia said that jibes with what he's seeing.
"We're having a lot of people come in and say they want to work until they're blue in the face, and then we put them on a job, and then they don't show up," Garcia said. "Or they go for a day and then they disappear. It's just unchartered waters."
And he said it's not just happening with workers doing general labor.
"We've had a lot of hiring managers or people that are in the position of leadership or management that have showed up on the first day for orientation, and just never came back, which is something I've never seen in the course of my career," he said.
Worker shortage due to a numbers game
As for the broader question of why the worker shortage exists, Kelley said it's due to a demographic trend.
Not enough workers are coming into the system to replace those leaving.
"Baby boomers are retiring in large numbers, while the number of younger replacement workers is declining," she said. "Because of low birth rates, K-12 class sizes (our future workforce) are projected to decline for at least the next 10 years."
The problem is being exacerbated by other factors, she said, including the pandemic, child care issues, transportation challenges and, at least locally, a shortage of workforce housing and lack of moderately priced homes in Waukesha County.
Waukesha restaurant looks for workers to reopen
In the city of Waukesha, a popular rib joint is working on hiring new staff as it looks to reopen following a four-month absence — and it's been a challenge.
Pat's Rib Place closed in October as its owners, Alisha and Ty Hayes, juggled their schedules to accommodate their new eatery inside the Milwaukee Public Market.
Now, as they look to again swing open the doors of their location at 151 E. Sunset Drive, they need to find staff to do it.
"We are still in the process of reopening, still holding interviews — actually at both locations," Hayes told the Journal Sentinel on Feb. 23. "Still working on it."
Pat's Rib Place initially announced in October that it needed to hire enough new workers to round out its staff of about 20 people in Waukesha.
But hiring has proved more difficult than expected, and Hayes said the restaurant now is targeting a late March opening.
Workers more likely to switch jobs for better pay
Garcia said some job vacancies are being created by the current employment climate, as some workers jump ship for better wages.
"People having the ability to almost pick and choose where they want to go is creating some of the turnover, because if somebody's making $16 an hour, and all of a sudden they get an opportunity offering even $17, a dollar more, or $18, they're running for it."
Job loyalty, where many people would stay at one place for their entire careers, is now the exception rather than the rule, he said.
"A lot of people make moves, especially people that are skilled, and they know if they go somewhere else, they can get a way bigger increase than staying with their employer," Garcia said.
Worker shortage not a new issue
Kelley said the worker shortage issue isn't new to the WCBA; the organization has been working to attract, develop and retain talent in Waukesha County for more than a decade.
She said longstanding programs such as Schools2Skills tours, Connecting Counselors and Superintendent Roundtables continue, and the alliance continues to work with its member businesses and other regional partners on other solutions and strategies.
"We are a partner in the FlexRide pilot to connect Milwaukee job seekers with employers in Butler and Menomonee Falls," Kelley said. "We continue to work toward workforce housing solutions. In partnership with Waukesha County Technical College, we are in the initial stages of launching a new Workforce Solutions Leadership Council to explore and implement additional areas that impact workforce such as child care and immigration." | 2022-03-16T14:23:51Z | www.jsonline.com | Effects of worker shortage are felt throughout the Milwaukee suburbs | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/2022/03/16/effects-worker-shortage-felt-throughout-milwaukee-suburbs/6944567001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/2022/03/16/effects-worker-shortage-felt-throughout-milwaukee-suburbs/6944567001/ |
4 things you probably should be doing in Milwaukee this weekend, including March Madness at Fiserv Forum
1. March Madness at Fiserv Forum
The road to the Final Four begins with a single victory — and the celebrations that go with it. In its first invite to the big dance, Fiserv Forum hosts first and second round games in the 2022 NCAA Tournament March 18 and 20, including No. 3 seed Wisconsin taking on No. 14 Colgate at 8:50 March 18. But there might be as much action outside the arena (weather depending), with all of the venues in the Deer District open for business — including Punch Bowl Social, which reopened March 16, and the outdoor beer garden.
RELATED:What to know about Wisconsin men's basketball in the 2022 NCAA Tournament
2. 'Singin' in the Rain' with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
There may not be a better way to watch the classic 1952 Hollywood musical "Singin’ in the Rain" than with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performing the score along with the movie in the Bradley Symphony Center, the restored movie palace at 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. Performances are 7:30 p.m. March 18, 7:30 p.m. March 19 and 2:30 p.m. March 20. Ticket prices start at $25.
RELATED:12 Milwaukee theater, music and dance performances to see in early 2022
3. Don’t Tell Comedy in Riverwest
The Don't Tell Comedy show — the comedy event where ticket buyers don't find out the location or the performers till the day of the show — lands somewhere in Riverwest at 8 p.m. March 19. The only other clues: It's an indoor venue, and it's a bring-your-own-beer deal. Tickets are $25.
RELATED:These secret comedy shows are put on in Milwaukee — and across the country. Here's what to know and how to go.
4. Spring Uncorked in Cedarburg
Mark the return of spring with the Cedarburg wine fest Spring Uncorked, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 19 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 20 at Cedar Creek Settlement, N70-W6340 Bridge Road. Cedar Creek Winery is marking the end of winter (we hope it is ending, anyway) with live music, activities, demonstrations, games and more. Admission is free. | 2022-03-16T14:24:03Z | www.jsonline.com | Things to do in Milwaukee this weekend include NCAA Tournament games | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/03/16/things-do-milwaukee-weekend-ncaa-tournament-games-fiserv-forum-symphony-orchestra-dont-tell-comedy/9444842002/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/03/16/things-do-milwaukee-weekend-ncaa-tournament-games-fiserv-forum-symphony-orchestra-dont-tell-comedy/9444842002/ |
As the pandemic wanes: What can we learn about the response of Wisconsin's local governments to the COVID-19 outbreak
Michael R. Ford and Samantha J. Larson
In the Spring of 2020, municipal governments across Wisconsin faced the difficult challenge of responding to a global pandemic. Information was limited. The guidance that did exist changed quickly. Messaging from the state and federal government was inconsistent, and often, was a function of partisan political and judicial debates as opposed to objective science.
So what steps did local governments take in response to the COVID-19 disruption? More importantly, what can be learned from what worked, and what did not?
To answer these questions, we surveyed 38 Wisconsin municipal managers, and conducted seven in-depth interviews with a diverse cross-section of local government leaders. We purposely focused on city managers and village administrators because they are hired by legislative bodies, as opposed to being elected by the public. This council-manager form of government is meant to insulate day-to-day operations from politics.
COVID-19 tracker: Keep track of the coronavirus and the vaccine in Wisconsin
More:Number of people hospitalized in Wisconsin with COVID-19 continues to drop to new lows
But the politicization of COVID-19 tested the ability of administrators to operate as apolitical actors. As one city manager aptly put it, “Everything I do is controversial.”
In general, municipal managers felt unprepared to handle the specifics of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to one interviewee, “Things were changing so fast, I was working 12 to 16 hours a day.”
Another stated, “I felt prepared on the specifics of emergency management, but did not have good information on how to deal with COVID specifically.”
The general tone of all responses was summed up by another respondent who stated, “Nobody could have been prepared for this. I had capable staff, a supportive board, but I did not know what I did not know.”
The lack of preparation is understandable. Local governments, like the entire world, were dealing with a public health crisis not seen in our lifetime. That does not mean municipal managers did nothing. Most respondents (71.1%) reported restricting access to public buildings and moving municipal meetings online. Locally imposed occupancy limits on private business (5.3% of respondents) and public mask mandates (23.7% of respondents) were much less prevalent.
A significant number of respondents (39.5%) created public information campaigns. However, those communications were primarily aimed at passing on information produced by other entities, like county health departments and state and federal authorities, to local residents.
The situation became more challenging as politics and misinformation complicated local efforts. One city manager told us, “I had the trust of everyone in the early months (but) that became harder to maintain during the second year of the pandemic.”
When pressed as to why managing the pandemic became more difficult over time, one respondent blamed mixed messaging from the state: “The sudden lifting of the Safer at Home Order destroyed the credibility of the state government on COVID.”
Another told us “Watching the inaction in the legislature made it clear to me that we were on our own.”
Overall, about 50 percent of survey respondents felt the state’s response was somewhat or very poor. Only 31 percent felt the response was somewhat or very good.
Our results also highlight why some local governments fared better than others during COVID-19. Professional managers who had good preexisting systems of communication with their county health departments and state legislators reported less confusion.
Similarly, municipalities with established and consistent means of communication with residents were able to get ahead of COVID misinformation. Finally, managers who deliberately shielded their governing boards from COVID politics, and those with a clear articulation of their core goal (ensuring essential services were not disrupted, for example) were able to act more proactively and limit conflict.
Despite pockets of success, the overall government response to COVID-19 in Wisconsin left much to be desired. Some of the challenges were unavoidable given the uniqueness of the crisis, but many were a result of governance failures. Thankfully, there are steps Wisconsin governments can take to address these failures before the next crisis.
First, there is a need to clarify, in statute and ordinance, what levels of government are in charge of specific aspects of public health. Litigating public health roles in the midst of the COVID crisis eroded public trust.
Second, both state and local government need to develop communications systems that align with how residents actually consume information. Factual reports and messaging from government channels should be equally as accessible as unofficial communications from unsubstantiated sources.
Third, the authority to make public health policy decisions should be vested in governments with public health competencies (Public health mandates, for example, should come from governments with health departments).
Finally, every local government should develop a detailed public health crises plan articulating their scope of authority and overarching goals during an emergency period. This plan should be reviewed and updated at regular intervals. Far too many municipalities faced COVID-19 with plans that were outdated, unclear, unknown to the public, or simply non-existent.
Nobody could have predicted the length and severity of the COVID-19 crisis. Nonetheless, it is imperative that we learn from our collective missteps so they do not happen again.
Michael R. Ford is an associate professor of public administration and director of the Whitburn Center for Governance and Policy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Samantha J. Larson is an assistant professor of public administration and deputy director of the Whitburn Center. | 2022-03-16T14:24:21Z | www.jsonline.com | Lessons learned from Wisconsin local governments response to COVID-19 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2022/03/16/lessons-learned-wisconsin-local-governments-response-covid-19/7039066001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2022/03/16/lessons-learned-wisconsin-local-governments-response-covid-19/7039066001/ |
A Mequon mansion is on the market for $1.8 million.
The five-bedroom, eight-bathroom home at 7832 W. Cheverny Drive was built in 2000 on 3.32 acres. The home’s outdoor amenities include a circular driveway, heated inground pool and hot tub, fireplace and grill.
Inside the 6,871-square-foot colonial-style property are four upstairs bedrooms that each feature walk-in closets, bathrooms and laundry areas.
The main level includes a dining room, double-sided fireplace, renovated kitchen, study, two living rooms and an owner’s suite with its own fireplace.
A walkout lower level includes a 7,000-bottle, temperature-controlled wine room, family room, granite island and workout area.
Nick Janasik of Fernwood Real Estate said an offer has been accepted, and they are expected to close in April. | 2022-03-16T17:13:20Z | www.jsonline.com | Mequon Cheverny Drive home on the market for $1.8 million | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/mequon/2022/03/16/mequon-cheverny-drive-home-market-1-8-million/7053095001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/mequon/2022/03/16/mequon-cheverny-drive-home-market-1-8-million/7053095001/ |
A new plaza space in South Milwaukee has a contractor for $2.3 million.
South Milwaukee’s Common Council on March 15 voted 7-0 on to approve a contract to Kenosha-based Rasch Construction & Engineering for the "Bucyrus Commons" project, which will create a public plaza near Da Crusher statue on the northeast corner of 11th and Madison avenues.
The project consists of three new buildings: an open-air pavilion, a public restroom building and an open-air covered stage with storage. In addition, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, grading, paving, landscaping and other work is required.
South Milwaukee requested the work be started between April 11-Nov. 11 with completion 240 days after starting work. The contractor will only be granted access to the site via Madison Avenue on Thursdays from June to October.
The Rasch bid was the cheaper of two bids on the project. Rasch was the general contractor for Oak Creek’s Lake Vista Park project.
Funding for the plaza comes from Tax Incremental Financing District 1, which expires in 2027. A TID is a public financing tool that creates tax incentives for redevelopment.
Other sources of funding come from the city’s 2022-23 capital improvement program and $500,000 of a $2 million grant from the Bucyrus Foundation to be paid in $50,000 annual grants over 10 years, according to city documents.
Planning for the project began with the Bucyrus Foundation’s grant to South Milwaukee in 2020 of which $1.5 million was used to bring back the historic Bucyrus Club.
The project cost came in higher than the city estimated $1.5 million to $1.8 million for the first phase.
Future phases have varying costs including upgrades to the parking lot near Da Crusher statue for approximately $1.8 million, alleyway upgrades for $641,000 and overall upgrades to 11th Avenue for $450,000. City Administrator Tami Mayzik said previously the city isn’t tied down to building the rest of the project.
A steering committee of five city staff members and 13 community members led the plaza planning effort. Residents were surveyed to determine what was most wanted for the land where the city already hosts its Farmer’s Market and Crusherfest. Some of the most-requested features included restrooms, formal seating, a pavilion and lighting.
Across the street from Bucyrus Commons could be the tentatively named Bucyrus Community, a 160-unit apartment proposal that also includes a restaurant on the former Bucyrus campus. That project is estimated to cost developer Scott Crawford $35.7 million if approved.
RELATED:This South Milwaukee business is doubling in size with a move into the revitalized Bucyrus campus | 2022-03-16T17:13:26Z | www.jsonline.com | South Milwaukee Bucyrus Commons plaza approved for $2.3 million | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/03/16/south-milwaukee-bucyrus-commons-plaza-approved-2-3-million/7044759001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/03/16/south-milwaukee-bucyrus-commons-plaza-approved-2-3-million/7044759001/ |
Waukesha fire officials are narrowing in on the cause of the fire that killed two residents and injured three others
WAUKESHA - A fire that claimed the life of two residents in a four-plex apartment on Lambeth Road remains under investigation, but fire officials have more clues about the cause.
In an updated briefing Wednesday, Waukesha Assistant Fire Chief Joe Hoffman said an investigative team has confirmed the March 8 fire began in Unit 2 of the building, specifically in the living room near a wall that separates it from the kitchen.
"The cause of the fire remains undetermined while the investigation continues," Hoffman said in the release. "We do know that there was candle use in the area of origin. Additionally, there were several electronic devices that were identified ... near the area of origin."
Kevin McQuade, 50, died mere hours after he was pulled from the fire, which was reported at 1:25 a.m. at 1211 Lambeth Road on the city's southwest said. His wife, Kimberly McQuade, 51, died three days later.
Five people, including the McQuades, were taken to ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Kimberly McQuade was later taken by flight for life to St. Mary’s Burn Hospital in Milwaukee, where she died. The condition of the remaining patients, including one survivor who was previously listed as having serious injuries, is unknown.
The death of the Waukesha couple prompted the establishment of a GoFundMe account, set up by a daughter, to help cover funeral costs and replace fire-damaged items from the home.
"We lost everything," Katrina McQuade wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Neither of my parents had life insurance, nor renters insurance, so everything is coming out of her (her and her brother's) pockets.
Through Wednesday morning, nearly $23,000 of the $25,000 goal had been raised.
In an updated GoFundMe message, Katrina said the help already received was meaningful. "I am forever grateful for all the support," she wrote.
Local authorities, including the police department, also acknowledged a five-minute delay, caused by a system error, in the Waukesha Fire Department's 11-minute response time. The extent that delay contributed to the severity of the fire and the deaths and injuries remains unknown. | 2022-03-16T17:13:32Z | www.jsonline.com | Cause of Waukesha fatal fire still under investigation | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/16/cause-waukesha-fatal-fire-still-under-investigation/7061506001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/16/cause-waukesha-fatal-fire-still-under-investigation/7061506001/ |
After 'twists and turns' the last 10 years, construction for the Couture high-rise apartment tower on Milwaukee's lakefront to accelerate
It has been 10 years since Milwaukee first heard the word “Couture.” By May, residents will finally get a glimpse of it.
The dreamed of and fought-over skyscraper got its first layer of concrete Wednesday, establishing the 44-story apartment tower's foundation.
Developer Rick Barrett, of Barrett Lo Visionary Development LLC, said the $188 million project will be completed in one year.
“We’re going to pour a typical floor every four days, so we’re going to be rolling,” Barrett said. “I think it will shock people once we get above the fence line.”
The Couture will feature 322 high-end apartments, 42,600 square feet of restaurant and retail space, and a transit concourse for The Hop and the East-West Bus Rapid Transit.
The proposal was unveiled in July 2012.
The project was delayed in part by legal claims that much of the Couture site is on a former Lake Michigan bed that cannot be used for private development. Barrett Lo also ran into trouble securing financing.
Barrett said despite the “twists and turns” of the last 10 years, he would do the project again.
“We pushed a big rock up a hill to get this project off the ground,” Barrett said. “We’re going to get very important chunk of tax base for the city of Milwaukee, we’re going to get the density we need and it’s going to be an incredible building.”
It’s going to take about 1 million hours to build the Couture. For example, it’s going to take 78 concrete trucks in a rotation to bring the concrete to the site.
Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said that’s why the Couture will add to the downtown skyline, but will also touch the entire city.
“Think about the construction jobs that are going to happen here, and because of the city’s programs 400,000 of those hours are going to go to people living in some of the most depressed neighborhoods in the city,” Johnson said. | 2022-03-16T17:13:44Z | www.jsonline.com | Couture apartment tower in Milwaukee gets concrete foundation pour | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/16/couture-apartment-tower-milwaukee-gets-concrete-foundation-pour-expected-to-open-in-2023/7061749001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/16/couture-apartment-tower-milwaukee-gets-concrete-foundation-pour-expected-to-open-in-2023/7061749001/ |
25 years ago, Germantown Youth Futures started to empower youth toward service. Now, it has been named Organization of the Year.
When Germantown native Jennifer Adams was in high school in 1996, community members wanted an inclusive organization for teens. Some thought there wasn't much for youth to do except get in trouble.
Adams, along with others from her high school jumped at the opportunity.
Now, 25 years later, Germantown Youth Futures is a major force in the Germantown community and was recently named Organization of the Year by the Germantown Chamber of Commerce.
More:Jim Barnes, former Germantown Schools music director, named Citizen of the Year for touching hundreds of lives through music
"I am glad to see it alive and kicking," she said. Adams is the volunteer president of the organization for the adult part of the organization. She said the youth portion of the organization also has volunteer officers.
Adams said she wanted to start the organization with others because there was not much to do in high school except for sports. Germantown Youth Futures was easy to join; there was no fee, and it was open to everyone, she said.
The organization is open to middle school and high school students. To join, they need to sign a pledge that they will uphold the ideals of the organization for service and not participate in violence or drugs.
Adams said the group does fun activities, such as a school lock-in where there are concessions, music and entertainment, educational events such as a financial wellness seminar, and connecting with area nonprofits for service activities. The all-volunteer group fundraises to pay for its programs.
"We got to organize things, rather things being organized for us," she said. "Some were doing this because they were interested in service. It is nice they (community members) gave us the responsibility to have a youth voice and to make changes in the community."
'Positive youth development through education and activities'
Germantown Youth Futures is known in the community for its community service, said Adams.
Its mission is to foster positive youth development through education and activities.
The group fulfills its mission by getting trees ready and presentable to benefit the Washington County Humane Society Festival of Trees fundraiser, helping and shopping for a family in need for the holidays, coordinating food and supply drives and organizing a scrap metal drive in conjunction with Leadership Germantown.
The group has also participated in Taste of Germantown, the 4th of July parade and Christmas parade, food drives for area food pantries, teacher appreciation projects, sponsored bike helmets for Germantown Police Department's Night Against Crime and created the Germantown Youth Future Scholarship for graduating high school students.
"The goals of Germantown Youth Futures are to raise the funds needed to meet our mission, raise the awareness of risk and protective factors, involve the community and youth in activities and develop an evaluation process to assess our progress," said Adams.
In addition to service and social activities, the group also does youth leadership training, parent and community educational presentations and sponsorships to help subsidize youth activities and trips to help ensure family-friendly positive activities remain accessible and affordable.
Adams said the group also does parent chats with educational programs such as how to talk to teens about money or employability skills a teenager should have.
"It is really exciting (to get this award). It is a big win. I am happy for others to see that they (the youth) made an impact," said Adams.
For more information about Germantown Youth Futures, visit www.gtownyouthfutures.com or find Germantown Youth Futures on Facebook. | 2022-03-16T19:45:27Z | www.jsonline.com | Germantown names Germantown Youth Futures Organization of the Year | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/germantown/2022/03/16/germantown-names-germantown-youth-futures-organization-year/7060013001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/germantown/2022/03/16/germantown-names-germantown-youth-futures-organization-year/7060013001/ |
Oak Creek High School's Ninth Grade Center was evacuated Wednesday morning due to a bomb threat.
In a letter to parents, the district said the Oak Creek Police Department was informed at 9:45 a.m. of a bomb threat called in from out of state at the Ninth Grade Center. Ninth grade students and students in the Empower program were evacuated to the nearby National Guard Facility. The district's neighboring facilities, Oak Creek High School's 10th through 12th grade building and Edgewood Elementary, were put in an "administrative hold."
Oak Creek High School's ninth grade students attend school at the Ninth Grade Center while its 10th through 12th grade students use another building on the high school's campus. The two buildings are separated by a parking lot.
Oak Creek Police coordinated with the Milwaukee Police and Milwaukee County Sheriff's departments to thoroughly search the building. They determined the building was safe and students returned to the Ninth Grade Center about 11:15 a.m. Students in the 10th through 12th grade building and Edgewood Elementary went back to class as normal, according to a subsequent email from the district.
Police continue to investigate the threat, the letter said.
"We are committed to always taking the most expedient and appropriate steps in cooperation with the Oak Creek Police Department to ensure student safety," the district's letter said. "Our students and faculty responded extraordinarily under these stressful circumstances."
Oak Creek Police Department captain David Ashenhurst said in an email the department is working on a media release and will post it to social media.
- This story will be updated as more information becomes available. | 2022-03-16T19:45:33Z | www.jsonline.com | Oak Creek High School Ninth Grade Center evacuated for bomb threat | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/oak-creek/2022/03/16/oak-creek-high-school-ninth-grade-center-evacuated-bomb-threat/7063234001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/oak-creek/2022/03/16/oak-creek-high-school-ninth-grade-center-evacuated-bomb-threat/7063234001/ |
MADISON - Divisions within the Wisconsin Republican Party over the 2020 election spilled into the hallways of the state Capitol Wednesday as the Assembly speaker met behind closed doors with a group pushing to overturn the election and kicked out of the meeting their favored candidate for governor.
Speaker Robin Vos' action prompted Rep. Timothy Ramthun, who has entered the Republican field for governor, to tell reporters assembled outside the meeting that Vos could be committing a crime by not advancing legislation to decertify the 2020 vote.
Vos said he gathered a group pushing to overturn Biden's victory to hear their case for the idea of decertifying the 2020 election, which Vos and legal scholars have maintained they believe is an illegal fantasy.
But a growing number of Republicans in the party's base agree it should happen. And Wednesday's episode instead gave the idea more legitimacy to the supporters who traveled to the Capitol and called the meeting productive.
The discussion was scheduled as Vos defends himself against a growing number of Republicans in the party's grassroots who view him as a roadblock to rooting out voter fraud and decertifying the 2020 election, and are calling for his resignation.
Decertification backers brought American flags and signs that read "Fix 2020 first" to the tiny third-floor Capitol hallway outside the hearing room. They gave loud applause to Ramthun after Vos asked him to leave the meeting.
"I've tried to do my best to get this on the front burner, to get closure. That's all I've wanted," Ramthun told reporters outside the Capitol hearing room. "You should be in there too. That's freedom of the press. That's truth and transparency. Open, honest government and right now, we're witnessing that's not the case."
Ramthun then alleged Vos was committing a crime by holding up a resolution he proposed weeks ago to decertify the election.
Vos left the meeting after more than an hour and told reporters after he believes there was "widespread fraud" in the 2020 election, despite findings of the Legislature's audit bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty showing otherwise.
"I'm always open to listening to people who have differences of opinion. That's what we did today. I still believe that the Constitution and my oath that I took as an elected official does not allow me to decertify any of the elections whether I want to or not," Vos said.
Adam Steen, who is challenging Vos in the Republican primary for the Assembly, also joined the crowd lingering outside the meeting room Wednesday to argue the gathering should have been held in public. He said if elected he’ll push for a vote that seeks to decertify the 2020 election.
“What I would like to see is a roll-call vote in the Assembly so that we can prove whether or not the Assembly, the representatives, are listening to the people,” he said.
Steen said lawmakers need to eliminate early and mail voting for most people, while making those options available to the elderly and military voters. He called his plan straightforward.
“Eight words — are you ready?” he said. “On paper, in person, hand count, one day.”
Vos met with the group hours before he and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu are scheduled to travel to the Stevens Point area to meet with leaders of each county Republican Party, some of whom expect to discuss the same idea.
Fueling the discontent is Vos' January decision to remove a full-time staffing position from Ramthun's legislative office over claims Ramthun made about Vos and how the 2020 election was administered. | 2022-03-16T19:45:51Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin GOP schism over the 2020 election spills over in Capitol | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/16/wisconsin-republican-schism-over-2020-election-spills-over-capitol/7059734001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/16/wisconsin-republican-schism-over-2020-election-spills-over-capitol/7059734001/ |
Milwaukee Brewers baseball will be on your radio Friday and on your TV starting Sunday.
The Brewers laid out their spring training broadcast schedule Wednesday, announcing that 11 games will be televised by Bally Sports Wisconsin and 16 will get carried over Milwaukee radio (or the web), many on AM-620 WTMJ.
For the Cactus League opener Friday, March 18, it's a radio-only broadcast, with a 3:05 p.m. Central first pitch. The broadcasts will kick over to 94.5 ESPN radio in Milwaukee in some cases, and they're expected to feature Bob Uecker, Jeff Levering, Lane Grindle and new addition Josh Maurer throughout the spring.
An audio webcast will be available for Milwaukee's game against the Texas Rangers on March 19, starting at 3:05 p.m.
The Brewers' game against San Diego on Sunday, March 20 at American Family Fields will be the first TV broadcast of the season, starting at 3:10 p.m. Announcers Levering, Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, Tim Dillard and Sophia Minnaert will be part of the nine home-game broadcasts.
Brewers TV schedule (Bally Sports Wisconsin, times Central)
Sunday, March 20 vs. Padres, 3:10 p.m.
Tuesday, March 22 vs. White Sox, 3:10 p.m.
Wednesday, March 23 at Reds, 8:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 24 vs. Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m.
Saturday, March 26 vs. Mariners, 3:10 p.m.
Monday, March 29 vs. Giants, 3:10 p.m.
Wednesday, March 30 at San Diego, 3:10 p.m.
Thursday, March 30 vs. Angels, 3:10 p.m.
Friday, April 1 vs. Cubs, 3:10 p.m.
Sunday, April 3 vs. Texas, 3:10 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 vs. Royals, 2:10 p.m.
Brewers radio schedule
Fifteen spring games are on the radio docket in the Milwaukee market, most on AM-620 WTMJ and some on 94.5 ESPN.
March 18: Brewers at Dodgers (AM 620), 3:05 p.m.
March 19: Brewers at Rangers (webcast only), 3:05 p.m.
March 20: Brewers vs. Padres (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
March 21: Brewers at Giants (AM 620), 9:05 p.m.
March 22: Brewers vs. White Sox (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
March 23: Brewers at Reds (AM 620), 8:05 p.m.
March 26: Brewers vs. Mariners (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
March 28: Brewers vs. Giants (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
March 29: Brewers vs. Guardians (94.5), 3:05 p.m.
March 30: Brewers at Padres (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
March 31: Brewers vs. Angels (94.5), 3:10 p.m.
April 1: Brewers vs. Cubs (AM 620), 3:10 p.m.
April 2: Brewers at Mariners (AM 620), 8:40 p.m.
April 3: Brewers vs. Rangers (AM 620 and 94.5), 3:10 p.m.
April 4: Brewers at Rockies (AM 620), 8:40 p.m.
April 5: Brewers vs. Royals (94.5), 2:10 p.m. | 2022-03-16T19:46:03Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Brewers spring training will be on TV on Sunday | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/16/milwaukee-brewers-spring-training-tv-sunday/7060904001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/16/milwaukee-brewers-spring-training-tv-sunday/7060904001/ |
MADISON - A Canadian company has submitted documents indicating its interest in conducting exploratory drilling at two well-known deposits in central Wisconsin.
Greenlight Metals, a Toronto, Ontario-based company, indicated in a series of reports filed earlier this month with the Canadian Securities Administration that it intends to conduct drilling at both the Bend and Reef Deposits in Wisconsin.
The company has not submitted documentation to the Department of Natural Resources, said Benjamin Callan, the chief of the integration services section of the agency. The company would need to secure permits from the DNR in order to conduct any sort of drilling at the sites.
For the Reef deposit, which is located in Marathon County, the company would also need to apply for a conditional use permit and pay a $50,000 application fee, in addition to being required to pay for any costs the county incurs while reviewing the permit application.
The company purchased the mineral rights for the deposits last year from Aquila Resources. Aquila sold the rights to the Bend and Reef deposits to allow more of its resources to go toward the Back Forty project along the Michigan/Wisconsin border near Marinette, which is further along in terms of exploration and permitting.
According to the filings, the company plans to drill seven holes to search for minerals at the Bend property, costing the company nearly $500,000.
More:Canadian company to purchase interest in Wisconsin gold and copper deposits for $7 million
The Bend deposit, located within the Chequamegon National Forest, is about 19 miles north of Medford. It was discovered in 1986 and first drilled in the 1990s. It contains copper, gold and silver, totaling an estimated 4.23 million tons of ore that would be accessed via an underground mine.
As for the Reef deposit, an unidentified number of holes will be drilled on the property, according to documents, which is expected to cost around $815,000.
The Reef deposit is located near the Dells of the Eau Claire, outside Wausau. The location was first explored in the 1970s and 1980s and is thought to contain gold. If the deposit is developed, it would likely be an open-pit mine.
Since the end of a mining moratorium, residents near the Reef site have pushed back against the idea of mining there, arguing that a mine could pollute the Dells, a county park and natural area known for its views of the Eau Claire River and wooded hiking paths.
Aquila explored the Bend and Reef deposits in 2011 and 2012, but since then no further action has been taken, partially due to a mining moratorium in Wisconsin in place until the state Legislature overturned it in 2017, renewing interest in mining in the state.
Dan Colton, who is listed as CEO of Greenlight Metals, did not return a request for an interview Tuesday afternoon.
More: 'That's sacred land to us': Wisconsin residents worry about exploratory drilling near Wolf River | 2022-03-16T22:04:19Z | www.jsonline.com | Mining company plans to conduct drilling at Bend and Reef Deposits | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/03/16/mining-company-plans-conduct-drilling-bend-and-reef-deposits/7051356001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/03/16/mining-company-plans-conduct-drilling-bend-and-reef-deposits/7051356001/ |
MADISON – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on Tuesday suggested mothers receiving public assistance should help other mothers by staffing the child care centers attending to their children.
Wisconsin law prohibits state subsidy payments from going to a certified child care provider where an employee’s child receives care. The law restricting eligible recipients of child care subsidies was enacted after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2009 discovered daycare providers collecting subsidies while watching other each other’s children. | 2022-03-16T22:04:19Z | www.jsonline.com | Ron Johnson suggests mothers on welfare should staff child centers | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/16/ron-johnson-suggests-mothers-welfare-should-staff-child-care-centers/7064382001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/16/ron-johnson-suggests-mothers-welfare-should-staff-child-care-centers/7064382001/ |
Fully recovered from an ugly injury suffered at Northwestern, Tyler Wahl has 16 steals in his last nine games
MADISON – Tyler Wahl is in the midst of a quiet but impressive defensive streak.
Wisconsin’s junior forward, arguably the team’s most versatile defender, had 16 steals in his first 17 games.
Then after suffering an ugly injury to his right ankle/calf in a victory over Northwestern on Jan. 18, Wahl didn’t record a steal in the next four games.
Since that dry spell, Wahl has had at least one steal in eight of nine games for a total of 16. That run includes five steals against both Purdue and Nebraska.
Why the uptick?
“Honestly, not just throwing an excuse out,” he said, “but my leg is finally back to 100%.
“So, I’ve been flying around and doing things I usually do.”
Wahl enters UW’s first-round NCAA Tournament game Friday against Colgate tied with Chucky Hepburn for the team lead in steals with 35. He is third on the team in scoring (11.4 points per game) and second in rebounds (5.7).
Teams generally have been using their centers to guard Wahl, who is outstanding posting up, and putting a forward on Steven Crowl.
“He calms us down offensively when we need a post touch,” teammate Brad Davison said of Wahl, “or we need to play at our pace or our tempo.”
Whether Colgate employs that strategy is uncertain because the Raiders generally use four guards and a center.
Wahl likely is too quick for Colgate centers Keegan Records and Jeff Woodward and Crowl could post up any forward the Raiders have.
Regardless of Colgate’s defensive strategy, UW coach Greg Gard stressed his team must move the ball better than it did in a 69-63 loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
The Badgers missed all 7 three-point attempts and finished 7 of 29 overall (24.1%) in the first half. They finished 7 of 24 from three-point range (29.2%) and 22 of 60 overall (36.7%).
“I thought Friday against Michigan State the ball stuck too much,” he said. “We over-dribbled. We didn’t change sides of the floor. We broke things off too early in possessions. I think the biggest thing is making sure the ball moves. …
“Against good defensive teams you’ve got to make ‘em move.”
More:Colgate enters NCAA Tournament at No. 2 nationally in three-point accuracy. How can Wisconsin cool down the Raiders' hot touch?
Davis downplays individual honor
Sophomore Johnny Davis added his second All-American honor this week when he was named to The Associated Press’ first team. He was previously named to the Sporting News’ first team.
Davis is the third UW player to be named a first-team All-American by the AP. Alando Tucker (2007) and Frank Kaminsky (2015) were the others.
“It’s really great to be recognized,” Davis said, “but I’m not too worried about individual awards. We’ve got bigger things on our mind as a team.”
UW isn't road weary
UW enters the tournament with a 12-3 mark away from the Kohl Center, 9-2 in road games and 3-1 in neutral-site games.
The Badgers' total of 12 victories away from home is the No. 1 mark among Big Ten schools and trails only Arizona (14), Villanova (14), Duke (13), Miami (13) and USC (13) among major-conference teams.
» The Badgers were seeded No. 3 one other time, in 2008. That team defeated No. 14 Cal State-Fullerton, 71-56, and No. 11 Kansas State, 72-55, to advance to the Sweet 16. The Badgers’ season ended with a 73-56 loss to No. 10 Davidson, which got 33 points from Steph Curry.
» UW is 25-10 in the NCAA Tournament against lower-seeded teams. That includes 9-0 against teams seeded No. 13 or lower.
» The Badgers have secured an NCAA Tournament berth in five of Gard’s seven seasons, missing the tournament in 2018. They would have received a berth in 2020 after winning a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, but the tournament was shut down because of COVID-19. Michigan (6), Michigan State (6) and Purdue (6) are the only other Big Ten teams with five or more NCA bids since 2016. | 2022-03-16T22:04:21Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl gets steals, is tough to defend in post | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/16/wisconsin-forward-tyler-wahl-gets-steals-tough-defend-post/7056792001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/16/wisconsin-forward-tyler-wahl-gets-steals-tough-defend-post/7056792001/ |
As fentanyl testing strips become legal, Milwaukee County plans to give 1,600 to the community to help prevent opioid-related deaths
In 2021, nearly 80% of all drug overdose deaths in Milwaukee County were related to fentanyl.
To help prevent future opioid-related deaths, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services is planning to distribute 1,600 newly legal fentanyl testing strips in the community, according to a Wednesday news release from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's office.
How do the testing strips work? They detect the presence of fentanyl in powders or injectables and can help prevent accidental overdoses.
Under Wisconsin law, fentanyl testing strips had been considered drug paraphernalia and were illegal to possess by community members and first responders, Milwaukee County Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez said in the release.
Gov. Tony Evers provided the final sign-off to decriminalize the use of the testing strips Wednesday while visiting La Crosse Lighthouse Inc., an addiction rehabilitation facility.
In early January, data from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office revealed that 560 people had died of a drug overdose in 2021 — a record for the county, according to a previous Journal Sentinel report. Updated data from that office later moved that number to 642.
Fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs, was the biggest killer in the county in 2021, as 508 deaths were linked to that drug, the report said.
As of March 16, there had been 67 confirmed overdose deaths in the county in 2022, with 51 of them involving fentanyl, according to the medical examiner's office.
In 2021, Ortiz-Velez and Sen. Lena Taylor co-authored a resolution that would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips. At the end of January, the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly passed a bill to do so.
“Without access to these testing strips, drug users risk overdose from the otherwise undetectable presence of fentanyl, which is why I am so passionate about the legalization of these strips and proud that bipartisan legislation has accomplished that goal," Ortiz-Velez said in the news release.
A plan to distribute the testing strips is in the works and will be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Evers signed two additional anti-opioid bills Wednesday.
One bill created three tiers of felonies for manufacturing, dealing and possessing fentanyl based on the amount and increases the maximum prison sentence for the crimes by five years if the crimes occur in a public housing project or within 1,000 feet of a park, swimming pool, youth center, a correctional facility, a school or a school bus.
Another bill calls for the creation of a state database tracking methamphetamine and opioid use. The bill appropriates $1.5 million to the state Department of Administration for the project. The Legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee would have to sign off on the spending before DOA could give the job to a vendor.
Evan Casey of Now News Group and the Associated Press contributed to this report. | 2022-03-17T00:14:41Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee to give newly legal fentanyl testing strips to community | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/16/milwaukee-give-newly-legal-fentanyl-testing-strips-community/7067608001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/16/milwaukee-give-newly-legal-fentanyl-testing-strips-community/7067608001/ |
Shaka Smart in familiar territory in Texas, but the coach is "grateful to be at Marquette"
FORT WORTH, Texas - Shaka Smart is back in familiar terrain this week
The Marquette men's basketball head coach spent six seasons at the University of Texas and the Longhorns travel to Fort Worth every year to play Texas Christian. Smart also is acquainted with the building in which MU (19-12) will play North Carolina (24-9) on Thursday.
"At the beginning of every season, I always look at the NCAA Tournament sites," Smart said on Wednesday. "And in this case this year, our home court (Fiserv Forum) is one of them. So there was only seven that we could go to (per NCAA rules). So I knew it was going to be one of the sites. And we're excited to be here.
"I've coached one game previously in Dickies Arena. It's a wonderful place. Great fans, basketball fans, in this area of the country. So I'm just happy to be here with our guys and excited about the opportunity we get to play, in my opinion, probably the most historic basketball program in college basketball. And there's not a group of guys I'd rather be here with."
Smart didn't win an NCAA Tournament game at Texas. His teams suffered some heartbreaking losses, but Longhorns fans had started voicing their displeasure. So it wasn't a complete surprise that Smart jumped to MU for a fresh start.
RELATED:Marquette must battle North Carolina for rebounds NCAA first round
RELATED:NCAA Bracket
"I think in sports there's an assumption on the part of the people that are not playing and coaching that what's being said or being written about is also what's on the minds of the players and the coaches," Smart said. "And we preach to these guys all the time about being in the moment. We preached that previously with other teams. I don't think there's any other place to be other than where you are.
"And so, it doesn't feel any different from the standpoint of what you or someone else might say or write. I understand everyone has a job to do. I respect it. But, for me, we're just trying to be one point better than any other team. And if we can do that, then we get to advance. The thing about the NCAA Tournament, it's win or go home.
"So I'm really grateful to be at Marquette. I'm grateful for all of the people that make our program what it is. Most importantly our players, but not only our players. And I was also grateful to be at Texas. It was a phenomenal group of guys that I got to work with. But that's in the past now. And I'm here today with you, and we're going to play North Carolina tomorrow."
Recognizable faces
In the age of the transfer portal, it's not surprising that former teammates would meet in the NCAA Tournament.
MU's Kur Kuath and North Carolina's Brady Manek played three seasons together at Oklahoma before both elected to use their extra seasons of eligibility elsewhere.
"It's helpful for my teammates because I'm able to give them the insides and outs of how he likes to play," Kuath said. "What are the tendencies, his weaknesses, his strengths. So that's a big help for anybody guarding him tomorrow."
The ex-teammates don't seem particularly close, with Kuath saying that he hasn't talked to Manek since leaving Oklahoma. But Manek was very complimentary toward Kuath.
"Kur is awesome," Manek said. "Awesome teammate and awesome guy. I loved being around him. I was with him for three years. His game's developed ever since I met him. Blocking shots, rebounds. He developed a little bit of a jumper every now and then."
Recognizable faces, Part II
The world of high-level recruiting also leads to come inter-team relationships.
North Carolina guard R.J. Davis was heavily recruited by MU's previous coaching staff and made an official visit to campus. Davis, as well as Tar Heels teammate Caleb Love, were also pursued by Smart when the coach was at Texas.
"One of my favorite things to do is follow guys' careers after we recruit them," Smart said. "And there's that initial sting of not getting him. But then after that, it's fun to watch and see how they develop, how they grow as players, as people. Are they able to accomplish their goals?
"Because one of the things in the recruiting process you talk about is what a guy's goals are. And, obviously, guys like those two have huge, huge goals. I think those guys have gained a ton of maturity in terms of affecting the game and affecting winning. They've always been terrific players. Always been very, very talented. They've always been guys that can really get going offensively, handle the ball, create for others." | 2022-03-17T00:14:53Z | www.jsonline.com | Marquette coach Shaka Smart back in Texas for NCAA Tournament | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2022/03/16/marquette-coach-shaka-smart-back-texas-ncaa-tournament/7056730001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2022/03/16/marquette-coach-shaka-smart-back-texas-ncaa-tournament/7056730001/ |
With the potential to pick up more hardware later in the week, Seth Trimble has been recognized as the state’s best by one award.
The Menomonee Falls senior guard was named the Gatorade boys basketball player of the year for Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Trimble is averaging 26.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 56.5% from the field. He has helped lead the Phoenix to the first state tournament in program history.
Falls opens up the state tournament with Brookfield Central on Friday night. Trimble also has the potential to be named Mr. Basketball by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association, which will be announced during the state weekend.
Trimble will follow in the footsteps of his older brother JP Tokoto by heading to play at North Carolina next season. The 6-foot-3 guard is the No. 32 recruit in the country, according to 247 Sports composite rankings.
“Trimble is a strong and sturdy point guard who beats defenders off the dribble and uses his crazy vertical bounce to finish over opponents,” said Paul Biancardi of ESPN Basketball in a news release announcing the award. “He’s special because he can play in an up-tempo game or execute in the half-court, and he’s a great late-game free throw shooter.”
GIRLS PLAYER OF YEAR:Germantown's KK Arnold joins elite company by winning second Gatorade state player of the year award | 2022-03-17T00:15:11Z | www.jsonline.com | UNC recruit Seth Trimble named Wisconsin Gatorade player of the year | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2022/03/16/north-carolina-recruit-seth-trimble-menomonee-falls-named-wisconsin-gatorade-player-of-year/7065922001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2022/03/16/north-carolina-recruit-seth-trimble-menomonee-falls-named-wisconsin-gatorade-player-of-year/7065922001/ |
PHOENIX -- For the entirety of his latest tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers, Lorenzo Cain has jokingly played up his age and the fact that his three young sons are constantly running him ragged.
But less than a month shy of his 36th birthday, the centerfielder is now the senior member of the team and in the final year of the five-year, $80 million deal he signed heading into the 2018 season.
Those facts, combined with the trouble Cain has had staying healthy from the second year of his contract on has left many to wonder if he might be looking to call it a career after first breaking into the majors with the Brewers way back in 2010.
"It’s going to be interesting," Cain said Wednesday, shortly after checking into camp following a two-day delay to attend to some family matters. "I’m going to go out here and give it my all. My goal is to stay healthy the entire season, and I kind of let everything else take care of itself.
RELATED:35-year-old outfielder Andrew McCutchen signs with Milwaukee Brewers
"We’ll go through this year, give it my all and see what happens. And whatever happens next year, we’ll kind of go from there."
Cain played in only 78 games a season ago, second-fewest in his career if one doesn't count the five-game stint he had in 2020 before opting out due to the pandemic.
He endured a pair of stints on the injured list that cost him 17 games (left quad strain) and 46 games (right hamstring strain), leading him to focus on his lower body during his offseason workouts.
"I did a lot of running. I did everything possible to make sure these legs are ready to go," he said. "A lot of conditioning, a lot of running, a lot of working out. Even went to see the PT on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning to make sure my knees and everything else is good.
"Now, it’s about going out here on the field and hopefully all the hard work pays off and we go out here and get it done."
Never lacking in motivation, Cain said the goal this season is "maybe 140-150" games -- a goal that probably won't need to be attained thanks in part to the development of Tyrone Taylor.
When he's at the top of his game, Cain is among the best defensive centerfielders in baseball, excelling at robbing home runs with leaping grabs at the wall as well as running down drives to the gaps.
Offensively, he's proven effective both at the top and near the bottom of the lineup, although with Milwaukee's current personnel a fit in the seventh or eighth spots might make the most sense.
Cain was asked if there was a scenario where he could see himself playing beyond this season, providing he remains healthy and is productive.
"I’m still unsure about that right now," he said. "This could possibly be my last year. But if it isn’t, you know me. I’ll train as usual in the offseason. If it is, I’m going to go out here and give it my all and hopefully we can get to the playoffs and the World Series if it is my last year.
"It’s a wait-and-see approach, and it all kind of depends on what happens this year."
Cain already has a World Series ring from his days with the Kansas City Royals, and if he's able to reach triple digits in games played he'll have logged over 1,200 games.
He's also 14 homers away from 100 and 55 runs batted in away from 500 -- nice, round numbers to potentially finish up at if he does indeed decide to call it quits.
"If it’s my last year, it’s my last year. I’ve had a great career," Cain said. "I’ve done everything possible that I can think of throughout my career and I’ve accomplished a lot. So, I’m happy if it is my last year."
With the late start Cain guessed he would start playing in games in about a week, which would leave him 12-13 games to log at-bats and get his feet under him in center.
"Lorenzo is really competitive. That's what I’ve always thought," manager Craig Counsell said. "The fact that he’s coming in this spring healthy, I think we’re in good shape. I don’t think his age is really relevant to that. I think we’re in really good shape.
"In 2020, not a different scenario really. He came in ready to go and he was ready to play opening day. He got off to a really good start, and I think we’re going to be in the same scenario."
Original opening homestand rescheduled
The San Francisco Giants are going to need to make two trips to Milwaukee to complete their three-game series against the Brewers at American Family Field this season.
The teams will play one game at 5:10 p.m. on April 25, then play a traditional doubleheader on Sept. 8 starting at 3:10 p.m.
Milwaukee was supposed to open the season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but will now host them from Oct. 3-5 to close out the regular season.
The changes were necessitated by the lockout, which scuttled the opening two series for every team and forced rescheduling.
The first Giants game will cause something of a travel headache for the Brewers, who play a night game at Philadelphia on April 24, fly home to play the Giants and then jump back on their charter afterward and head to Pittsburgh for a three-game series that starts April 26.
"Once the season got backed up, everyone in baseball was going to have a series that's going to mess up their schedule," Counsell said. "We've just got to deal with it and roll with it. It's like a couple of rainouts, essentially, built into the schedule.
"But we're ready for it, and we know it's coming. It's on the schedule, you know what I mean?"
Counsell said the Brewers were going to play a 4 1/2-inning intrasquad game around mid-day Thursday in preparation for Milwaukee's Cactus League opener, which is Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch.
Left-hander Ethan Small will start and is expected to pitch roughly two innings, which is what each starter will be pegged for out of the chute because of the delayed start to camp. | 2022-03-17T00:15:17Z | www.jsonline.com | Lorenzo Cain not sure what future holds in final contract year Brewers | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/16/lorenzo-cain-not-sure-what-future-holds-final-contract-year-brewers/7054511001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/16/lorenzo-cain-not-sure-what-future-holds-final-contract-year-brewers/7054511001/ |
Menomonee Falls Village Board candidates lay out ways to support the police, fire and first responders
A newcomer will face off against an incumbent in the April 5 general election for a chance for Seat 3 on the Menomonee Falls Village Board. The seat carries a three-year term.
Incumbent Steve Taggart, who has served on the village board for three years, is being challenged by newcomer Dan Schwind for the seat.
Now News Group posed three questions to the candidates to outline their plans for the village. Answers were limited to 100 words; some answers were edited for length.
What are one or two of the most pressing issues facing the village, and how would you go about solving them?
Steve Taggart (inc.): Crime: Menomonee Falls must stay vigilant and support our police department as awful decisions from neighboring communities affect our village. In 2021 I approved the hiring of three additional police officers — the first increase in strength since 1979.
Fire Department: Our fire department is under increasing pressure to provide EMT services. In 2019 I co-sponsored the establishment of the fire chief and approved six additional Fire/EMT full-time positions. In 2021, I approved a process to onboard 14 additional full-time members. Including part-time positions, the new fire department will have about 100 heroes working on behalf of residents.
Dan Schwind: Support our first responders, police and fire and hire additional firefighters and paramedics to provide adequate coverage for the continued, increasing growth of the village to keep our residents and businesses safe. Control economic growth at a controlled pace and create a destination for businesses and families to work, live and visit. Ensure that Menomonee Falls continues to be one of the most sought-after areas for business and industrial development to provide jobs for our residents and protect our families. We need to invest in road, sewer and water improvements so our infrastructure meets the needs of one of the fastest-growing areas in the state.
Because of COVID-19, many residents want to make sure people are safe. What is your stance on mask requirements, vaccinations and other COVID-19 protocols?
Taggart: Masks must remain optional on all village property. It should be the free choice of the resident to make healthcare decisions for themselves. In 2020, I co-sponsored a passed resolution opening Menomonee Falls from the unconstitutional lockdowns hurting all Menomonee Falls residents and businesses. This objective was confirmed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court only a month later.
I co-sponsored a passed resolution in 2021 guaranteeing the medical freedom from COVID-19 “vaccines” for all village employees and encouraging Menomonee Falls businesses to do the same. This objective was confirmed by the United States Supreme Court in early 2022.
Schwind: Personally, I leave these decisions to the individual to decide what is best for them and their families.
There has been a lot of work in the past few years to make the Menomonee Falls downtown a destination place. How would you support this?
Taggart: As a village trustee and CDA member, it has been rewarding to watch the downtown area thrive through all the hard work. Village Park Phase I presented challenges, and I provided discussion and approval to stay within budget. I supported and approved changes to Village Park Phase II, saving $400,000. Phase II will break ground this spring and feature a gigantic playground for children of all abilities. Along with other features, it will be a destination for all families and residents. As trustee, I will continue to work and support as needed all areas of the village, including our downtown.
Schwind: Menomonee Falls residents witnessed firsthand the huge improvements happening in our village, most notably Village Park. The first summer of events and the number of people that came out to attend the concerts and farmers markets is a testament to the community and our leaders. Phase 2 of reimagining Village Park is underway. The Optimist Club and the village are fundraising to make this part of the park a destination for all families in the community and those in surrounding communities. This will have a significant impact not only on the park but our downtown businesses as well.
Voter identification is required to vote in Wisconsin. Acceptable identification includes a Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended; a Wisconsin DOT-issued identification card; a Wisconsin DOT- issued identification/military identification card issued by a United States uniformed services; a U.S. passport or a photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin state university or college that contains date of issuance, signature of student and a date no later than two years after date of issuance.
Steve Taggart (inc.)
Address: Menomonee Falls
Occupation: CEO, Taggart Manufacturing Inc.
Contact information/campaign information: steve@votetaggart.com, votetaggart.com and www.facebook.com/votetaggart
Previous elected experience: Village of Menomonee Falls trustee
Community involvement: Village trustee, community development authority and Menomonee Falls Little League volunteer, parent and sponsor
Dan Schwind
Address: N84 W17704 Denice Ave.
Occupation: Vice president Community Banking
Contact information/campaign information: www.facebook.com/SchwindforTrustee
Community involvement: Menomonee Falls Optimist Club for 22 years and currently the club president as well as on the Board of Directors; serve on the boards of The Chamber of Greater Menomonee Falls and Sussex, Menomonee Falls Food Pantry and the Greater Menomonee Falls Foundation; have been involved with Wheeling & Healing with Froedtert Menomonee Falls Foundation; co-chair of the Village Park campaign committee in the Optimist Club of Menomonee Falls, which is working in partnership with the village of Menomonee Falls to fundraise for Phase 2 of the Village Park project. | 2022-03-17T12:06:17Z | www.jsonline.com | Menomonee Falls Village Board Seat 3 candidates' plan for the election | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/03/17/menomonee-falls-village-board-seat-3-candidates-plan-election/7045168001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/03/17/menomonee-falls-village-board-seat-3-candidates-plan-election/7045168001/ |
Fresh cinnamon rolls lead the parade of pastries at Ginger Ovens in Oconomowoc
Fork. Spoon. Life. Jon Sandor
When Jonathan Sandor opened his bakery, coffee shop, and roastery, Ginger Ovens, 219 E. Pleasant St., Oconomowc, he wanted a menu of grab-and-go staples. He thought maybe handpies and his bagels to go with the coffee he roasted in house. On opening day in August 2020, he whipped up a batch of cinnamon rolls on a whim, because yeast doughs are some of his favorite.
The large, frosting-laden cinnamon rolls have become Ginger Ovens’ best-selling item, and a menu staple. He never did make those handpies. Now, he’s expanding his hours and recently added waffles to the breakfast favorites, which also include scones, muffins, and bagels made daily. He’s been known to roll out rainbow bagels occasionally, though the colorful dough takes extra time and effort. Pot pies and quiches are also part of his rotating seasonal options.
Now, with a new beer and liquor license in hand, Sandor is planning to expand hours and dinner offerings starting in April.
Currently Ginger Ovens is open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends. It's closed Wednesdays.
His creative calling
I always enjoyed doing baking. I went to baking and pastry school at WCTC. It has always been fun for me. I like to work with my hands, creating things. Baking ended up being perfect for that. All of my past jobs were in food service, a lot of coffee shops, and that was the biggest idea I wanted to pursue in business. On the side, I always liked to bake, so I thought I’d combine the two. I also like the idea of working for myself.
Small-batch sips
I’m doing the coffee roasting myself. I roast 6 pounds at a time, small batches. One of my previous coffee shop jobs was a roastery. I ended up being in charge of all of that. It was great experience, and I like the smell of the fresh roasted coffee. It is also a fun process learning about the different types of beans and where they can come from and the roasts you can do and the blends. I source all my beans, I have a lot from South America, Brazil, Colombia, and a few from India. The Monsoon Malabar is my personal favorite, one of the main components in my espresso blend.
We do it all. I have blonde roast, lots of medium roast, those tend to be the most popular, then a bunch of French roast, as well. I cover all the bases, blends of lights and darks together for a nice smooth body of flavor. The darker roast have less caffeine but are more bold in flavor, and they’re not for everyone. We do have a super dark Italian roast, a very bold flavor.
The power hour
The major portion of my business is first thing in the morning. I open at 7:30 a.m., and between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. tons of people come in. My breakfast sandwiches and breakfast burritos are the most popular items, but I get people who grab a coffee and sit down and have a nice pastry.
Cinnamon rolls are my staple here, and what I’m most known for. Those always sell out, especially on the weekends.
Cinnamon buns are the best seller. They’re very large, and jam packed with sugar and butter and lots of cinnamon and all that good stuff. I make a cream cheese frosting, and you have to make sure you put that on while it is still hot so it all melts in there.
His favorite thing to make
I love to make dough, bread and yeast doughs. I just like the texture, and it is simple enough.
The business of baking
Butter has gone up almost 50 percent (in cost) recently… You can’t substitute for butter. You have to raise prices accordingly, so you still get that top-notch item.
Flavor flop
I tried making pumpkin bagels. Sounds good, but they’re very tricky. Pumpkin is such a wet ingredient. You can only omit so much from a bagel recipe before it doesn’t turn out.
I do make kringle. Right now that is only available for Christmas and Easter. I just can’t physically pull off 24/7 having kringles. It is a multiday process. I’ve done a regular cream cheese, raspberry cream cheese combination, and a cinnamon and walnut.
Holiday must haves
Certain holidays I will make a spin-off cinnamon roll flavor. Last year I came out with a cookies and cream, then a bacon cinnamon roll, which a lot of people said sounded weird, but the combination of sweet and salty was amazing. I also make cheesecakes. Pies I only do closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What you won’t find
I won’t do cakes. Big fancy cakes are not my thing.
Where and why
I chose the city of Oconomowoc, Fowler Lake Village condo building on Pleasant Street, so I do have a little bit of a lake view on the left side of the store. I love lake life, and that was a big draw for me. Oconomowoc is big lake country. I had a good feeling about it.
I just got the beer and wine license; it is new. We’re still playing with wines but will be (have) a lot of craft, microbreweries and local. I won’t have big factory names. You can get that anywhere, there are like five bars downtown here. I want to offer people something new and interesting they may not have tried or seen before, and it also supports local. | 2022-03-17T12:06:35Z | www.jsonline.com | Cinnamon rolls are a menu staple at Ginger Ovens in Oconomowoc | https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/food/fork-spoon-life/2022/03/17/cinnamon-rolls-menu-staple-ginger-ovens-oconomowoc/7004540001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/food/fork-spoon-life/2022/03/17/cinnamon-rolls-menu-staple-ginger-ovens-oconomowoc/7004540001/ |
Through online platforms, thousands open their homes to Ukraine’s refugees
#Ukraine We want to help!!
Where? A small city in Germany.
When? From now for as long as you need.
What? Free guestroom in our house with garden. Also food, clothing, medical care and more if needed. Animal friends are welcome, too. We can pick you up from a station or airport.
–– One of thousands of online messages posted on Host a Sister, a free accommodations platform
As the war rages in Ukraine, an unending stream of horrific imagery flickers across our screens. But go to online platforms such as Host a Sister, Ukraine Take Shelter, Host 4 Ukraine, RefugeBooking, or many other small, local platforms, and you’ll be met with a very different sort of refugee-related content: Offers from people all over the world to help those who have been uprooted and displaced.
The outpouring of generosity, kindness and compassion is almost as unexpected as the war. When the Irish government set up a website for people to offer accommodation to Ukrainian refugees, so many hosts signed up on the first day that the website crashed. “War brings out the worst and the best in people,” says Lynda Elliott, the founder of the Refugee Buddy Network.
More:Ukrainian refugees leave everything behind
More:Refugees describe harrowing journey to Poland
Rashvinda Kaur, an avid traveler and daycare owner in New Orleans, started Host a Sister in 2019 after reading about female couch surfers facing sexual harassment. The online hosting platform connects women looking for friendships and a safe place to crash. In contrast to paid sites like Airbnb, all accommodations on Host a Sister are free — even bartering is frowned upon.
On its launch day, Host a Sister got 2,000 requests to join, and now the network is nearly a quarter-million women strong. “It was just supposed to be a fun thing, but it has evolved into so much more,” Kaur says via Zoom during her daycare lunch break. “Women helping women.”
Until two weeks ago, the site was mostly filled with images of lovely guesthouses in Italy, futons in Berlin, and joyful pictures of travelers celebrating their newfound friendships. Within hours after the Russian invasion, however, a surge of offers started filling the site: “We have space for a mother and two children.” “Big house, big hearts.” Most of the pictures of guesthouses and futons are hashtagged #Ukraine.
“We didn’t sleep for 48 hours,” Kaur says of the initial days after the invasion. (The site is entirely volunteer-run.) “I was so worried I would miss a message from someone in need.” Many refugees land in neighboring countries, especially Poland, where a million Ukrainians were already living before Putin declared war on their country. But potential hosts chime in from Madrid to Berlin, Italian hamlets and small villages in the South of France. Farmers in Alabama, mothers in Connecticut and dentists in Sydney have all posted offers of free accommodation, sometimes including generous assistance with travel fares.
“If you can make it to any international airport,” reads one post, “we can pay for a plane ticket to Texas.”
Where Ukrainian refugees actually end up will depend on individual countries’ policies. So far, a number of Western nations are taking measures to admit them. The EU is invoking an unprecedented little-known emergency rule that grants Ukrainians the right to immediately stay and work in the EU for at least three years.
In the U.S., the Biden Administration announced that the roughly 34,000 Ukrainians who arrived in the U.S. before March can apply for a temporary protected status so they can legally work and live there. The U.S. has also signaled that, while it expects most Ukrainian refugees will stay close to home in Europe, it is open to expanding the number allowed into the U.S. beyond current caps.
Host a Sister is especially valuable as adult men have largely remained in Ukraine to help defend their country, leaving fleeing women vulnerable to trafficking. Increasingly, even children and teenagers make their way across the border alone. Recognizing the vulnerability of the refugees, the administrators for Host a Sister have turned off comments on all Ukraine postings and discourage sharing location details. Kaur herself has received threats and noticed activity that points to Russian trolls and bots, so is asking everybody to communicate via private messenger and refrain from sharing screenshots.
Nevertheless, thank you notes speak to the success of the endeavor. “My sister is now in the safe hands of a fellow wonderful sister in Slovakia,” reads one that was sent to a host and posted on Host a Sister’s Instagram feed. “God bless you all and may you all never lack.”
Other guest-hosting sites have sprung up specifically in response to the crisis. On Host 4 Ukraine, an initiative from Churchpool, a social media app for parishes, but with no religious strings attached, people of any nationality and gender can offer accommodation to those fleeing the conflict. The platform has been promoted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as a valuable tool for Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter.
The Refugee Buddy Network is another little-known grassroots organization that has been active for years. It is mainly propelled by refugees themselves, who use it to trade information and advice: leads on possible accommodations and jobs, tips on how to navigate the unfamiliar systems of destination countries, and general knowledge of resources that could be of use to someone in transit. “We are helping the minorities,” founder Lynda Elliott says, “the people with no voice.”
Elliott started the platform in 2016. A corporate consultant living in London at the time, she had no background in helping refugees. She was simply moved by the plight of the people that she saw in the news, especially from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.
With no budget or nonprofit status, the Refugee Buddy Network quickly grew to more than 5,700 members. It is exactly what the name says: a network where refugees or their friends can post what they need — eye surgery, work, a safe place to stay, personal searches for separated family members — and others can provide whatever knowledge or help they can offer. Sometimes it’s money, usually small sums; more often, it is practical advice.
The unbureaucratic nature of these grassroots efforts leads to a little chaos and occasional mistakes. “Once I sent a small sum to a man who was posting as homeless but actually wasn’t,” Eliott says with a laugh. To mitigate errors like this, Elliott cooperates with local groups whenever possible, but her sprawling, decentralized network has the advantage of being everywhere and anywhere, a good fit for refugees who are often on the move.
As the world throws open its arms to the dislocated populace streaming out of Ukraine, Elliott emphasizes the commonalities inherent to the plight of all refugees, wherever they come from.
“I can’t help thinking that while the media and people around the world are laser-focused on this most recent war, there are other people who have fled wars in their countries over the last 10 years, who appear to have become invisible and forgotten. I’ve read posts from war refugees asking why countries that have closed their doors to them and their kids are now opening their borders for others. It’s so sad. Let’s focus on all the people who have no voice.”
Michaela Haas wrote this article for Reasons to be Cheerful, a web platform that reports on proven, replicable solutions to problems. | 2022-03-17T12:07:17Z | www.jsonline.com | Through online platforms, thousands open homes to Ukraine’s refugees | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2022/03/17/through-online-platforms-thousands-open-homes-ukraines-refugees/7040673001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/solutions/2022/03/17/through-online-platforms-thousands-open-homes-ukraines-refugees/7040673001/ |
Milwaukee and Nashville are the two finalists in the race to host the 2024 Republican National Convention, Politico reported Thursday.
Both cities will be making their final pitches to the Republican National Committee site selection committee next week in Washington, D.C.
The news comes after Milwaukee Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in passing that he met Wednesday afternoon with RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. She was in Milwaukee because she had missed a site selection visit to the city in February.
Salt Lake City, the third city in the running, was eliminated last week, the report said, but will be considered for 2028.
Another city, Pittsburgh, ended its bidding earlier this year.
"The RNC is very appreciative of the overwhelming interest and competitive bids from cities across the country, especially Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh, to host the 2024 Republican National Convention," RNC senior adviser Richard Walters said in a statement.
Milwaukee's compact convention footprint and a so-called "turnkey" operation have been key selling points in its quest to get the event. Even though the 2020 Democratic Convention in Milwaukee was turned into a mostly virtual event because of the pandemic, many of the same plans can be put to use for a GOP event.
Fiserv Forum would be the main convention site. Other facilities that would be used include the Wisconsin Center, which is undergoing an expansion, plus UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Miller High Life Theatre.
Convention organizers have also said they can house all the convention delegates and guests within a short radius of the convention area.
Peggy Williams-Smith, the president and chief executive of VISIT Milwaukee, is helping spearhead the local effort. Gerard Randall, a Republican Party of Wisconsin vice chairman, is key player.
If the city does get the convention, former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus is expected to become the head of the host committee. | 2022-03-17T14:32:02Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee, Nashville finalists for 2024 Republican National Convention | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/17/milwaukee-nashville-finalists-2024-republican-national-convention/7073289001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/17/milwaukee-nashville-finalists-2024-republican-national-convention/7073289001/ |
These field trips explore Wisconsin's special natural places — including some closed to the public
As more people have explored Wisconsin’s natural spaces over the past couple years, some of those places have become more crowded.
But there’s no shortage of crowd-free natural beauty to explore in the state — if you know where to look.
The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin can help with that. From May through October, the nonprofit hosts hundreds of field trips that take participants to every corner of the state, from exploring an ancient Native American mining site not normally open to the public to searching for elk calves in northern Wisconsin.
This year the foundation is offering more than 260 trips, including 19 accessible ones — more than ever before. Among them are trips to try archery, hummingbird banding and forest bathing.
"We really worked hard to connect with new leaders, on new topics, with the purpose of expanding our selection of wheelchair accessible trips," Christine Tanzer, the field trip program director, said via email, noting they hope to grow the selection in the future. "Our hope is that both individuals using wheelchairs join us, and families with a member using a wheelchair can attend trips to learn and experience nature together."
The trips are only open to NRF members ($40/family, $25/individual). Money raised from the trips goes to work the nonprofit does to protect Wisconsin's wild places and creatures.
All of the trips are open to children for a cost of $10 less than an adult registration, although some are more family friendly and are listed as such in the guidebook, with suggested ages. Dogs are not permitted on any of the trips (although at least one has working dogs on it).
The trips are popular and some fill up within minutes of registration opening, which is at noon on April 4 this year, only at wisconservation.org (phone, email and mail-in registrations will not be accepted). Members are limited to registering for four trips this year through April 15.
If the trip you want is full, you can join a wait list. Or check out some of the other offerings from the NRF, including the Great Wisconsin Birdathon, a birdwatching fundraiser held across the state; and Virtual Field Trips, a video web series highlighting some of the trips mentioned below.
Whether you’re new to the outdoors and want to learn new skills, or you’ve already hit all the hot spots and are looking for hidden gems, here are some trips worth checking out this year.
For a guidebook, complete descriptions of the trips, to become a member and register, visit the NRF website (wisconservation.org).
RELATED:7 natural wonders in Wisconsin
Places normally closed to the public
Archaeology at Silver Mound (4): Visit an ancient mining quarry and learn about how stone tools were made by Native Americans using a technique known as flintknapping, plus view pictographs and petroglyphs. This trip includes a challenging hike on steep terrain. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 23 or 24, Hixton, $48.
Train Ride & Birds: Tiffany Wildlife Area & Lower Chippewa River (35): Head deep into the Tiffany Wildlife Area on an open-air train — rides that are only offered a handful of times every year — to see up to 75 bird species during peak migration. 7 a.m.-noon May 14, Durand, $48. Another trip (231) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 17 will include a hike in Five-Mile Bluff State Natural Area before the train ride; that trip costs $51.
Kestrel Banding at Badger Mining Corporation Grasslands (114): Visit nest boxes to help band America's smallest falcon at this privately owned silica sand mine. 9 a.m.-noon June 14, $33/adult, $23/child (ages 8 and up).
Fair Meadows SNA: Three field trips will explore this privately -owned natural area in Milton that is only open to the public during special events like this: a birding trip (67) from 7 to 9 a.m. May 27 ($18), a wildflower trip to see the prairie in bloom (134) from 9 to 11 a.m. June 24 ($18), and a trip to see eastern prairie fringed orchids (145) from 9 to 11 a.m. July 7 or 8 ($23).
Butterfly Field Day in Fort McCoy (153): Explore the grasslands of Fort McCoy to search for Ottoe skipper, regal fritillary and Karner blue butterflies. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 13, Tomah, $18.
Horseshoe Bay Cave Crawl (171): Crawl 1/4-mile through Wisconsin's longest wild cave — including areas not normally accessible to the public. 9-11 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. or 2-4 p.m. July 23, Egg Harbor, $50/adult, $40/child (ages 10 and up).
Shorebirds & Waterbirds of Cat Island (227): See breeding piping plovers and other birds on a five-mile hike along the Cat Island Wave Barrier, which has played host to more migratory shorebirds than any other place in Wisconsin and is not normally open to the public. 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 10, Green Bay, $100.
Trips for beginners
Introduction to Birding and eBird (No. 20): Learn about bird ID basics and how to use eBird and other birding apps at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center before heading to Olin/Turville Point to put your skills to use. 7-10 a.m. May 7, Monona, $28.
Trout Fishing for Beginners: Kickapoo Valley Reserve (No. 36): Learn how to catch and clean trout in a class 1 trout stream, either by spin fishing (Saturday) or fly fishing (Sunday). All fishing gear will be provided. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. May 14 or 15, La Farge, $68.
Tree Climbing: A View From the Top (111): Take your tree climbing to new heights with ropes and other safety gear. 1-3 p.m. June 11 or Aug. 6, Newburg, $46/adult, $36/child (ages 7 and older).
Survival Skills (135): MacKenzie Center naturalists will teach basic survival skills including building shelters, fires and navigating using a compass. 9 a.m..-noon June 24, Poynette, $23/adult, $13/child (ages 5 and older).
Beginning Rock Climbing (232): Learn the basics of rock climbing, then climb routes on the quartzite cliffs around Devil's Lake. All climbing gear is provided. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 18 or Oct. 23, Merrimac, $68.
Unique animals, plants, landscapes
Woodcock Watch at The Ridges Sanctuary (21): Learn about woodcocks’ unique courtship displays, then see the bird's wacky dances out in the nature preserve. 7-8:30 p.m. May 7, $23/adult, $13/child (ages 10 and older).
Whooping Crane Reintroduction (38): Help biologists track and observe nesting whooping cranes in the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. 8 a.m.-noon or 1-5 p.m. May 14, Necedah, $58.
Kirkland's Warblers and Pine Barrens (50): Hike off trail through pine barrens in search of one of Wisconsin's rarest birds. 7:30-10 a.m., May 20, Rome, $48.
Lake Superior Estuary: Paddle Extravaganza (122): Canoe the largest estuary in the Great Lakes, with visits to research stations and a birding area. Canoes are provided. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. June 17, Superior, $78.
Karner Blue Butterflies: A few trips offer the chance to see federally endangered Karner blue butterflies: Wildflowers & Butterflies: Namekagon Barrens, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Jun 4, Danbury (No. 87, $18); Karner Blue Butterflies at Mecan Prairie, 9 a.m.-noon Jun 9, Coloma (96, $28); and Beauties and the Beasts: Karner Blues & Bison, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 11, Sandhill Wildlife Area, Babcock (103, $18/adult $8/child, ages 10 and up).
Geology of Two Creeks Buried Forest SNA (223): Hike along a Lake Michigan bluff to see exposed wood from a pre-glacial forest. 10 a.m.-noon, Sept. 10, Two Creeks, $18.
Milwaukee County trips
Havenwoods History Hike (48): Explore Wisconsin's only urban state forest and learn about its history as a prison — including during World War II for German prisoners of war — and a Nike missile site. 9:30-11 a.m. May 20, Milwaukee, $18.
Pontoon Tour: History and Habitat of the Harbor District (154): Ride through the Harbor District and learn about the history and restoration efforts underway there, where three of the city's rivers converge and flow into Lake Michigan. 12:45-3 p.m. July 13 or Sept. 7, Milwaukee, $53/adult, $43/child (ages 13 and up).
Urban Nature Photography (169): Learn photography tips from an expert while exploring Three Bridges Park along the Hank Aaron State Trail. 10-11:30 July 22, Milwaukee, $18.
Lakeshore State Park: Urban Oasis (193): Ramble along paved paths through shortgrass prairie while taking in views of the city and Lake Michigan on this accessible trip. 9-10:30 a.m. Aug. 12, Milwaukee, $18.
Kayaking the Kinnickinnic: The Urban Watershed (208): This trip for experienced paddlers will explore the Kinnickinnic River watershed on the city's south side; kayaks and gear will be provided. 1-4:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Milwaukee, $53.
Accessible trips
Forest Bathing & Foraging: Pheasant Branch (83): Connect with nature through the Japanese practice of forest bathing, plus learn about wild edible and medicinal plants to further your connection, on the paved trails of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. 9 a.m.-noon June 4, Middleton, $48.
Archery: Basics to Advanced (165): Give archery a try at the MacKenzie Center, where bows and arrows will be provided. 9 a.m.-noon July 22 or 23, Poynette, $23/adult, $13/child (ages 8 and up).
Hummingbirds: Ecology & Banding (213): Watch a licensed bander capture and tag ruby-throated hummingbirds, and learn about the birds and how to attract them to your yard. 7:30-9:30 a.m., Aug. 27, Milton, $68/adult, $58/child (ages 7 and up).
Crane Roosting Tour at Crex Meadows (253): Learn about sandhill cranes, then caravan through the wildlife refuge to watch thousands of cranes roosting at sunset. 5-7 p.m. Oct. 14, Grantsburg, $33/adult, $23/child (ages 10 and up).
Migration on the Mighty Mississippi (260): See hundreds of bald eagles and tens of thousands of other birds including swans and pelicans during peak migration along the Mighty Miss. 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 3 or 5, La Crosse, $50.
More interesting trips
Conservation Detection Dogs: Seek & Find Aquatic Invasives (28): Dogs have been used to track down everything from missing persons to illegal drugs, and now they're used in hunting invasive species, too. Examine creek samples for the tiny New Zealand mud snail, then watch the Canine Detectors sniff them out. 12-3 p.m. May 14, Cross Plains, $33/adult, $23/child (ages 7 and up).
Elk Calf Searching (69): Help DNR biologists track elk cows and search for calves to measure and tag them on this rigorous, off-trail adventure. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 28 or 29, Clam Lake, $60.
Explore the Barrens with Ho-Chunk Tribal Members (81): Local Ho-Chunk Nation tribal members will provide knowledge about their culture, history and land at Bauer-Brockway Barrens State Natural Area, a globally endangered pine-oak barrens landscape with fields of lupine. 10 a.m.-noon June 4, Black River Falls, $18.
Ancient History: Man Mound & Raddatz Rockshelter (207): Visit the state's last remaining human-shaped effigy mound, then explore a rock shelter used by the area's earliest human inhabitants. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 26, Baraboo, $48.
A Falconry Experience (240): Learn about falconry — hunting with a trained bird of prey — view a demonstration, and meet the birds up close. 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 30, Milton, $68. | 2022-03-17T14:32:14Z | www.jsonline.com | Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin hosts field trips | https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2022/03/17/natural-resources-foundation-wisconsin-hosts-field-trips/4702675001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2022/03/17/natural-resources-foundation-wisconsin-hosts-field-trips/4702675001/ |
Waukesha will soon begin a monthslong, multi-million dollar road construction project near downtown
WAUKESHA - The city's past dedication of one-way routes will take a significant about-face this summer along its longest stretch and among its busiest roads.
North Street and St. Paul Avenue will become largely two-way roads once a $10.6 million road reconstruction project, slated to begin March 28, is completed in October.
It's part of an effort that dates back to 1989, when the city redirected one-way traffic along a shorter stretch downtown and first hinted at local dissatisfaction about one-way streets, which later prompted further study.
A reconstruction project has been a decade in the making
No stretch of one-way routes in the city runs, past or present, runs longer than the North and St. Paul tract, parallel roads connecting the downtown area to what has been called the city's "gateway."
Both roads will convert to a two-way travel from Albert Street — that short street to the east which connects North and St. Paul just west of Moreland Boulevard — to Mountain Avenue — the hilly road just west of Wisconsin Avenue. In all, that's roughly a one-mile stretch, detailed in a special page on the city of Waukesha's website.
They are not the only one-way routes, nor the last, within the city.
In 1989, the city converted part of North East Avenue downtown as well as Wisconsin Avenue to two-way traffic, a decade before a new master plan for downtown Waukesha envisioned additional one-way route eliminations.
The first of those was realized in 2001, when West Main Street and West Broadway were transformed. Six years later, East St. Paul Avenue from Madison to Barstow streets followed suit. Both involved several short blocks within the heart of downtown.
One-way streets have long been a frustration in Waukesha
Collectively, they represent a strategy that city officials had long debated and then slowly implemented to turn the tables on one-way routes locally.
"It has been a long-term goal for the city to try to make everything a little bit easier for those maneuvering in and out of the city," said Alex Damien, Waukesha's interim public works director.
Damien alluded to past discussions where people, particularly those unfamiliar with Waukesha's somewhat infamous road nuances, expressed confusion about the downtown district's traffic flow.
The Five Points intersection — so named because of the five-piece joining of streets at the center of downtown — once included an odd mix of one- and two-way routes all revolving around the replica Spring House that only further complicated the flow.
The Spring House was moved, as well, putting it alongside the Fox River and Bank Street, clearing the intersection completely ahead of the elimination of the one-way routes.
Business leaders concerned about Five Points' flow were among the most vocal.
"It's has been the same thing for the St. Paul/North Street corridor," Damien said. "The downtown businesses are pushing for that, as well as for open vacant land along this corridor, where developers have been pushing for it."
On the city of Waukesha's website, a project summary states several other key reasons for the move to two-way routes, including a safer drive near the Downtown Transit Center and easier access to federal funds to pay for road projects.
Drivers should expect increased traffic and closures
The North/St. Paul conversion is a three-phase project — four, if you count the preliminary utilities work by We Energies that began in November — that will take at least seven months to play out fully.
Again, the city's website details the stages of the project.
Among the anticipated closures early in the project:
St Paul Avenue from Wisconsin Avenue to Madison Street), March 28 to April 11. (Access to businesses will be maintained. One eastbound lane will open after April 11.)
Madison Street bridge to St. Paul Avenue beginning April 4.
North Street from St. Paul Avenue to Pewaukee Road, restricted to one westbound lane beginning April 4.
It's not only about creating two-way traffic. The project also includes reconstruction of the roadways and the replacement and rehabilitation of underground utilities.
More:For the seventh consecutive year, Waukesha begins a monthslong road construction project downtown
When it's finished, St. Paul Avenue will have one travel lane in each direction from Wisconsin Avenue to Fuller Street, with no changes in the existing design from Madison to Barstow. From Barstow to Albert, however, the road will have two eastbound lanes and one westbound lane. More turn lanes and additional parking are part of the changes.
"We worked to add parking where possible," said Craig Ausen, the city's project manager.
North Street, which currently runs one way from Moreland Boulevard to Wisconsin Avenue, will simply have one lane in each direction beginning at Albert Street.
The real oddity is Albert Street. Because points east of Albert will remain one way (west on North and east on St. Paul), at least for now. Albert will serve as a route dedicated to moving North Avenue traffic over to St. Paul Avenue to continue heading east. Similarly, a new ramp will be built allowing westbound North traffic to access St. Paul Avenue's westbound lane.
The unusual intersection at North Avenue, Madison Street and Delafield Street will be simplified somewhat by the direction changes. "It will look more like standard intersection" in the future, Ausen said.
There are still a few one-way streets in the city
Waukesha won't be completely free of one-way roads, however.
Short stretches of St. Paul (eastbound) and North (westbound) will remain single-direction routes from Moreland to Albert. At least, no conversion is planned as part of the current project, though city officials suggested that work could be altered at some point.
"Currently the segment east of Albert is not in the city’s five-year plan," Ausen said. "We do plan on completing this section in the future, but will require additional planning and budgeting."
But the one-way routes surrounding Les Paul Middle School are not expected to change. Damien said discussions with the school district determined Carroll and Arlington streets should remain as opposing one-way roads.
More:Parade safety and apartment buildings among key issues in Waukesha mayoral race
More:Despite public opposition, the Waukesha School Board has voted to close one elementary school and merge it with another | 2022-03-17T16:45:46Z | www.jsonline.com | Waukesha removing more one-way streets with $10.6 million road project | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/17/waukesha-will-remove-more-one-way-streets-10-6-million-road-project/7033829001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/17/waukesha-will-remove-more-one-way-streets-10-6-million-road-project/7033829001/ |
Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, seeking reappointment, will participate in a community forum March 30
Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski will appear at a virtual community meeting to discuss his reappointment for a full four-year term March 30.
The event, hosted by the city’s Fire and Police Commission, will include Lipski discussing his goals for the department and answering questions from community members.
Community members can submit comments or questions before or during the 6 p.m. meeting. Registration to attend can be competed here.
On March 3, the commission voted to interview Lipski privately April 7 and vote on giving him his first four-year term April 21.
Lipski joined the Fire Department in 1997 and served as an assistant chief for about a year and a half before taking over as acting chief in October 2020, following the retirement of Mark Rohlfing. In May 2021, the commission appointed Lipski to serve the remainder of Rohlfing’s term, which ends in May of this year.
As the commission considered awarding him the remainder of Rohlfing’s tenure, Lipski earned the support of a range of Milwaukee institutions, including then-Mayor Tom Barrett, WEC Energy Group, Advocate Aurora Health, Community Advocates, Legal Aid Society, the Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance and two professional associations.
Two commissioners, Vice Chair Amanda Avalos and Fred Crouther, also spoke positively of Lipski during its March 3 meeting.
“It’s been a pleasure working with him,” Avalos said
Lipski’s tenure so far has come with many challenges. His transition to chief came just as COVID-19 first began surging throughout Wisconsin prior to the availability of vaccines, in November 2020.
Since then, Lipski has also had to deal with the fracturing of the local private ambulance industry. In 2021, two of the city’s private ambulance contractors — which respond to lower-level emergencies — began struggling to handle call volumes, forcing one of them to cease working with the city.
Part of the problem was driven by a worker shortage, so starting this year, the Fire Department began training 60 people to work for the remaining private ambulance providers.
Lipski has also often spoken about the department’s continued need to diversify its ranks and his concern about his staff’s workload, considering tightening budget restraints.
As of October 2020, the department was 77% white, down from 81% white in 2016, according to department figures. | 2022-03-17T16:45:58Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Fire Chief Lipski to talk reappointment at community meeting | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/03/17/milwaukee-fire-chief-aaron-lipski-talk-reappointment-community-meeting/7073510001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/03/17/milwaukee-fire-chief-aaron-lipski-talk-reappointment-community-meeting/7073510001/ |
The West Allis Police Department said it's looking into reports of racist crimes being committed against a Black West Allis family.
The crimes have included smashing a vehicle's window, slashing its tires and leaving threatening, racist notes on the car, according to a Facebook post by the family about the incidents.
The couple being targeted, Reginald Wilkerson and Tanathie Addison, who live near South 88th and West Mitchell streets, said in the post the incidents have gone on for "the last couple of months."
They could not immediately be reached for an interview. Meanwhile, a national organization has called for the repeated vandalism to be investigated as hate crimes.
"Keep speeding in MY neighborhood, (n-word). Next time it will be your windshield," said one of the notes, in part, according to photos shared by the family on social media.
The police department said the department is aware of the incidents and investigating them.
"A police report has been filed and the incidents are being thoroughly investigated," West Allis Deputy Police Chief Robert Fletcher said in an email.
Fletcher said because it's an active investigation, specific details will not be released, but that the city of West Allis is committed to be a diverse and supportive community and racially motivated crimes undermine this commitment.
"In addition to any physical or financial loss associated with these crimes, there is a serious emotional loss suffered by the victims," Fletcher said. "The West Allis Police Department is committed to making the City of West Allis a safe community for all, and as such, takes these incidents very seriously and will ensure that they are thoroughly investigated."
Mayor Dan Devine said the incidents make him 'sad and angry'
West Allis Mayor Dan Devine said he learned of the incidents through social media.
He said it made him sad and angry.
"This does not represent West Allis or what West Allis stands for," Devine said in an email. "We have worked hard towards becoming a more welcoming and inclusive community to all.
"I feel like we have made some progress, but then a story like this arises and reinforces that we still have work to do. This ignorant, hateful rhetoric has absolutely no place in our city, or anywhere else."
Alderwoman calls racist threats and vandalism 'completely unacceptable'
Alderwoman Danna Kuehn, who represents District 3, along with Alderwoman Suzzette Grisham, called the incidents "completely unacceptable."
"No person should feel unsafe in their community regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation — really anything, for that matter," Kuehn said. "What's happening is 100% unacceptable. It's not what West Allis is about, and I hope that they catch whoever's doing this and prosecute them to the fullest extent."
Grisham, who also called for the person or persons responsible to be apprehended and prosecuted, said she learned of the incidents when she was tagged in a social media post.
"I was absolutely shocked that this is taking place in our community," Grisham said. She described the crimes as "deplorable acts of hate."
"I don't want anyone in our community, of color or otherwise, to think that there's no place here for them, and to be to be run off," she said. "I think that's what this individual's trying to do."
Both said they've reached out to the family to show their support. Kuehn said the couple's infant daughter no longer stays with them out of fear.
"It's completely heart wrenching that they don't even feel safe enough to have their child," Kuehn said. "So I just really hope that this individual gets caught and that they realize that the majority of West Allis is not like this, and they choose to stay and make West Allis their home ... and they can hopefully get justice and find peace and feel safety within their own home."
National organization calls for a hate crime investigation
The crimes have captured the attention of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, which has called for a hate crime investigation into the incidents.
"These disturbing attacks demonstrate the seriousness of the threat posed by racism and white supremacy in Wisconsin and nationwide," CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said in a March 15 news release. "We urge law enforcement authorities to investigate this incident as a possible hate crime."
He said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and white supremacy. | 2022-03-17T18:51:48Z | www.jsonline.com | Black family in West Allis the target of racist threats and vandalism | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/west-allis/2022/03/17/black-family-west-allis-target-racist-threats-and-vandalism/7062007001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/west-allis/2022/03/17/black-family-west-allis-target-racist-threats-and-vandalism/7062007001/ |
Forecasters are watching a spring storm that could bring snow to areas north and west of Milwaukee on Friday into Saturday.
Exactly where, when and how much snow might fall remains a question, said Denny VanCleve, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sullivan.
"We're trying to figure out who is going to get snow and who is going to get rain," VanCleve said.
The Milwaukee area is likely to get all rain. Areas to the north and west of Mineral Point to Madison to Fond du Lac and Sheboygan might see snow.
Here's how forecasters summed it up in a statement early Thursday:
"Confidence continues to increase for a period of rain and wet snow affecting southern Wisconsin Friday into Friday evening, and then changing to all snow before ending Saturday morning," according to the statement. But, "considerable uncertainty remains on the timing of the heaviest snow, snow amounts, and the locations that will experience the greatest impact."
The forecast is tough because of the time of year and the temperatures in various levels of the atmosphere, as well as the warm surface temperatures after the high temperature in Milwaukee hit 70 degrees on Wednesday.
"There are a bunch of things that are difficult (to forecast) with this," VanCleve said. "We're just trying to figure out where it's going to snow."
Forecasts on Thursday were showing a narrow band of snow setting up somewhere north and west of Milwaukee on Friday into Saturday.
"If you look at each forecast model, they all point to that possibility in this narrow zone, but they don't all agree on where it's going to be," VanCleve said. "... A lot of things have to come together," for snow to occur.
If everything does come together, areas could see several inches of snow.
"The potential is there," VanCleve said. "But, it's going to be wet snow and it will largely melt on Sunday."
That's actually good news, VanCleve said.
"We're still in a drought," he said. "Moisture is good. We'll take it." | 2022-03-17T18:51:57Z | www.jsonline.com | Spring storm may bring snow to areas north and west of Milwaukee | https://www.jsonline.com/story/weather/2022/03/17/spring-storm-may-bring-snow-areas-north-and-west-milwaukee-wisconsin/7069804001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/weather/2022/03/17/spring-storm-may-bring-snow-areas-north-and-west-milwaukee-wisconsin/7069804001/ |
WEC Energy Group said Thursday that regulators in Wisconsin have approved its planned purchase of a large solar and battery project in Kenosha County.
Known as the Paris Solar-Battery Park, the project is located on about 1,500 acres in the Town of Paris in Kenosha County.
We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service, both of which are utilities owned by WEC Energy Group, will own 90% of the project.
MGE Energy's utility subsidiary, Madison Gas and Electric, will own the other 10%.
The project will be "the first large scale solar and battery project in Wisconsin history," according to a WEC Energey statement.
Related:Partnership between We Energies and Cudahy's ATI Forged Products is helping power 700 homes with solar energy
Related:Wisconsin can maximize the economic impact of renewable energy development if local workers build the projects
The Paris Solar-Battery Park will have up to 750,000 solar panels, said WEC spokesman Brendan Conway, in a statement.
The project features 200 megawatts of solar generation capacity — which is enough to power about 60,000 homes.
The battery portion of the project will feature 110 megawatts of battery storage — which can store solar-generated power and discharge it when the sun goes down, Conway said.
The cost of the Paris Solar-Battery Park is estimated at $400 million.
“We appreciate the Commission and staff’s thorough review and the Commission’s approval of this historic project," said Scott Lauber, WEC Energy Group president and CEO, in the statement. "Combining utility scale solar with battery storage will allow us to extend the benefits of renewable energy and provide our customers 'sunshine after sunset.'”
The project is part of WEC Energy Group's "commitment to invest $3.5 billion in renewable energy projects in the coming years," Lauber said in the statement.
Construction of the Paris Solar-Battery Park is scheduled to start in 2022, the project is expected to go into service in 2023.
WEC Energy Group, based in Milwaukee, serves 4.6 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. | 2022-03-17T20:49:08Z | www.jsonline.com | Kenosha County energy project with 750,000 solar panels wins approval | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/17/kenosha-county-energy-project-750-000-solar-panels-wins-approval/7079208001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/17/kenosha-county-energy-project-750-000-solar-panels-wins-approval/7079208001/ |
Republicans have gradually stripped the office of almost all its duties and staff and relegated La Follette to a cramped office in the Capitol basement. However, since the 2020 presidential election, Republicans have been considering shifting oversight of elections to the secretary of state.
The office hasn’t played a role in Wisconsin elections since 1974. Giving it election-related duties would require approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature and the governor. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers likely won’t give a GOP secretary of state new powers. Evers is on the ballot this fall as well, though, and a Republican governor might do so.
Loudenbeck issued a statement saying La Follette wants to keep getting paid for doing nothing and people are responding to her call for shifting election oversight to the secretary of state’s office.
“These are policy changes we should be talking about, and Doug La Follette wants to block them so he can protect the status quo and continue his do-nothing legacy,” Loudenbeck said. | 2022-03-17T20:49:20Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette seeking reelection | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/17/wisconsin-secretary-state-doug-la-follette-seeking-reelection-to-12-th-term/7078260001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/17/wisconsin-secretary-state-doug-la-follette-seeking-reelection-to-12-th-term/7078260001/ |
Town of Eagle clerk Lynn Pepper is accused of manipulating the order of candidate names on a 2021 ballot
EAGLE - A dispute about how town candidate names were chosen to appear on a ballot has, in the end, resulted in a misdemeanor criminal charge against Eagle Town Clerk Lynn Pepper.
Pepper is charged with Election Day campaigning/election offense for allegedly manipulating Eagle Village Clerk Kelly Jones in what is supposed to be a random process to determine the order of names on printed ballots — in this case involving the 2021 spring election for two town of Eagle seats nearly a year ago.
The case dates to January 2021, when Jones was asked by Pepper to assist in the process of placing slips of paper with candidate names in a coffee cup and then drawing them from the cup.
But Jones, who is only listed as Witness A in the criminal complaint, claimed Pepper twice suggested ways for picking certain slips out of the cup to make the process less than random.
According to the complaint filed Wednesday in Waukesha County Circuit Court:
For the town chairman's race, Pepper allegedly showed Jones a tear in one of the slips of paper and instructed her to select that slip first, meaning that candidate's name would appear first on the ballot.
For the town supervisors race, involving three candidates for two seats, Jones said Pepper pointed out a wrinkled slip and told her to select that name to appear first on the spring ballot.
A second slip, described as folded and crooked, was supposed to be selected next, but it was not, which, according to Jones, Pepper said was acceptable and would make the ballot order seem less "suspicious."
There's was no indication that Pepper was asked by any of the candidates to alter the ballot in their favor. The complaint did not specify the order that the candidates ultimately appeared on the 2021 ballot.
The allegation, initially reported to the village of Eagle Police Department, resulted in an investigation by the Scott County Sheriff's Office, which in turn referred charges to the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office.
In the complaint, and through her attorney Paul E. Bucher, Pepper denied the allegation, saying she may have joked about the process of selecting names from the cup but had no intention of manipulating the process or coercing Jones in any way.
Pepper said all the paper slips containing the candidates' names were cut to the same size and were not altered.
In a separate interview Thursday, Bucher said the allegations make no sense given that, under the law, Pepper could have opted to close the door in her office and privately select the names at random without anyone's else involvement.
"But she called the village clerk over and made kind of a wisecrack — it's the best way I could say it — about making sure you pick the right one, or something like that," Bucher said. "It wasn't about a specific name. You couldn't tell (what names were on the slips)."
He also said he is surprised that this case has risen to a level of criminal prosecution and, in part, blames testy relations between village and town officials.
"Small-time politics is the worst politics," Bucher said. "There is a lot of bad blood going on between the village and the town. ... That's all that I can think of as to why this even made it to this level."
The single criminal count carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Whether the charge will affect Pepper's job — she has worked more than a decade as the town's clerk — is unclear.
Don Malek, the town's elected chairman, did not immediately respond to such questions. Cindy Howard, the town's deputy clerk, said she could not comment on Pepper's employment status because it is a personnel matter. Pepper was not available for comment and out of the office Thursday. | 2022-03-17T22:42:08Z | www.jsonline.com | Eagle town clerk faces electioneering charge linked to two 2021 races | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/eagle/2022/03/17/eagle-town-clerk-faces-electioneering-charge-linked-two-2021-races/7075950001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/eagle/2022/03/17/eagle-town-clerk-faces-electioneering-charge-linked-two-2021-races/7075950001/ |
Tommy Thompson is set to leave the University of Wisconsin System on Friday, closing a 20-month presidential tenure in which he brought stability and some momentum at a time of internal and external challenges.
The state's longest-serving governor and former U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services came to the system at its board's behest in July 2020, after the first attempt to replace former UW System President Ray Cross ended in failure and embarrassment. Faculty and other constituents felt burned by the board's former leadership, which had rebuffed the faculty's demands to have more of a voice in the presidential search process.
Further, the COVID-19 pandemic brought an array of challenges, as campuses, students and parents tried to navigate health concerns, and institutions' financial losses mounted. A consequential budget cycle loomed, leaving Thompson with the work of convincing his fellow Republicans to invest and trust in the university system.
More:From enrollment declines, to student access, to trust issues, Rothman faces array of challenges as new head of UW System
More:Far from being a placeholder, Tommy Thompson is steering the UW System through a tough stretch with ideas, persuasion, upbeat attitude
Thompson brought swift and ambitious changes that went beyond reacting to problems. He started with a $10 million budget cut to the central office, reinvesting the savings into scholarships and college advising for prospective students. He turned campuses into COVID vaccination hubs, and appeared in humorous videos on social media to encourage vaccines.
Though his headlining budget proposal — a statewide promise program to cover tuition for low-income students at all UW campuses — never got off the ground, the system made progress in other areas, including the end of the freeze on in-state undergraduate tuition imposed by the state Legislature for nearly a decade.
"The Legislature was really hard to deal with," Thompson told reporters Thursday. "I've changed the attitude in the Legislature. Didn't get everything I wanted by any stretch of the imagination, but I certainly have improved the relationships with the Legislature because I was a member of the body for 20 years."
Thompson leaves behind several projects, such as the effort to restructure campuses' administrative programs including human resources, information technology and finance. He said he wants the system's next president, Milwaukee attorney and law firm CEO Jay Rothman, to continue the push for expanded online education options, and for a statewide commission that would look at the structure and future of higher education in the state.
Above all, he encouraged system leaders to keep "bragging" about the UW System.
"We're not a problem," he said. "We're the problem-solvers."
He will be succeeded by former Regent President Mike Falbo, who will lead the system as an interim until Rothman starts June 1.
More:'Not abdicating my responsibility': Tommy Thompson spurns the GOP attempt to control, block COVID rules on campuses
Asked what's next for him, including if he'd made any decisions about if he'd jump into the upcoming race for governor, Thompson balked.
"I made a commitment (that) I'm not going to be partisan at all while I'm president of the university and I've adhered to that solidly," he said. "I'm not going to break the promise when I've only got 48 hours left to be president." | 2022-03-17T22:42:20Z | www.jsonline.com | Tommy Thompson wraps up University of Wisconsin System presidency | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/03/17/tommy-thompson-wraps-up-university-wisconsin-system-presidency/7075504001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/03/17/tommy-thompson-wraps-up-university-wisconsin-system-presidency/7075504001/ |
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers isn't endorsing his lieutenant governor — or anyone else — in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Evers gave a simple "no" when asked Thursday at a WisPolitics.com luncheon if he had a favorite in the crowded primary to replace Republican Sen. Ron Johnson.
"As the elected leader of the Democratic Party, that'd be wrong," Evers said. "I know a lot of those people. They're all good people. And so, we look forward to a robust primary and having somebody be actively campaigning to beat the present U.S. senator."
Among those running for Senate is Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who has served with Evers since they were both sworn in in January 2019.
Evers said in late 2020 he hoped Barnes would run for another term as lieutenant governor but that he would respect whatever decision he made. Barnes got in the Senate race seven months later.
"Mandela Barnes knows that as the leader of the party, Governor Evers cannot get involved in the primary," said a statement from Maddy McDaniel, a Barnes' campaign spokeswoman. "He looks forward to continuing their great relationship throughout the campaign and is committed to doing everything he can to support the Governor's re-election."
Among the others in the large Senate primary are state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson.
The winner of the Aug. 9 primary will face Johnson in the Nov. 8 general election.
Bill Glauber of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. | 2022-03-17T22:42:32Z | www.jsonline.com | Tony Evers isn't endorsing in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/17/tony-evers-isnt-endorsing-democratic-primary-u-s-senate/7079625001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/03/17/tony-evers-isnt-endorsing-democratic-primary-u-s-senate/7079625001/ |
Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Al Johnson, who recently agreed to join Paul Chryst’s staff, will oversee the team’s running backs.
The Journal Sentinel reported March 10 that Johnson was returning to Madison. UW announced the hiring Thursday.
“I’m really excited to be able to bring Al back,” Chryst said in a news release. “He's a great coach and a tremendous person. His experience as a head coach and in all facets of the offense will help us immensely.
“Al truly cares about the players and helping them in their development and he is a great addition to our staff.”
Johnson, 43, replaces Gary Brown, who joined UW's staff before the 2021 season but missed the Las Vegas bowl because of a medical issue and has not recovered.
The move means new offensive coordinator Bobby Engram likely will work with the team's tight ends.
A graduate of Southern Door High School, Johnson was a three-year starter at UW (2000-2002). He was selected in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and played a total of seven years for four teams.
Johnson served as the offensive line coach/offensive coordinator at St. Norbert College in 2014 and 2015 and returned to UW in 2016 as a graduate assistant. He assisted Joe Rudolph with the offensive line for two seasons before being named the head coach at Division II East Central University in Oklahoma.
"My family and I are thrilled to be back at Wisconsin," Johnson said. "I'm incredibly thankful to Coach Chryst for this opportunity. It's truly an honor. You can't say no to the Wisconsin Badgers.
"The absolute best part of coaching is helping to develop players on and off the field. I wouldn't be where I am today or have accomplished the things I have in my career without the people at Wisconsin who set me up for success.
“My goal is do the same thing for our players. When you add to that the opportunity to help our guys uphold the tradition we have at running back, this is a fantastic opportunity. I'm truly grateful." | 2022-03-17T22:42:38Z | www.jsonline.com | Ex-Wisconsin center Al Johnson to coach Badgers' running backs in 2022 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/ex-wisconsin-center-al-johnson-coach-badgers-running-backs-2022/7081253001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/ex-wisconsin-center-al-johnson-coach-badgers-running-backs-2022/7081253001/ |
Storm Murphy considered transferring home to Wisconsin but landed at Virginia Tech and fueled its NCAA Tournament run
Mike White, then head coach of Wofford, felt it was an iffy proposition when an assistant coach called to tell him he needed to fly to the Peachtree Jam in North Augusta, South Carolina, to see about a point guard.
"We didn't have the money to do that; I was at Wofford," White said Thursday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee as he prepared to lead his new team, Virginia Tech, into the NCAA Tournament on Friday. "I didn't have money for a bologna sandwich and a bottle of Coca-Cola, I can't change a flight for $300, I can't do it. But they insisted, and I did it."
The player he wound up seeing was Storm Murphy, a 5-10 guard from Middleton, Wisconsin.
"I saw him three times that day, and I did really enjoy his game," he said. "Little tiny guy, but man, a basketball player."
White offered Murphy a scholarship, but with recruits barred from official campus visits in July, the coach wasn't able to accompany Murphy and his family when they swung north a couple hours to Spartanburg, South Carolina, after the tournament, to check out Wofford.
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"It was a self-guided tour, and he told me, 'If that scholarship's still there, I want to take it.' I said, 'You're in.' It was the easiest recruitment I ever had."
The second time? Not so easy. Murphy, who graduated last year from Wofford after a decorated career that included 119 starts, had options as a graduate transfer, including back in his hometown with the University of Wisconsin. Or, with Virginia Tech, where Young had taken the head coaching position after leading Wofford to the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
"I talked to a few schools," Murphy said. "Wisconsin was definitely an option, I thought maybe either go home and play close to family where I grew up or VT where it's everyone and everything I know: The system, the coaches the players, stuff like that. That's why it was kind of a no-brainer."
The point guard comes home, sort of
Instead of playing for the Badgers in the nightcap of Friday's NCAA Tournament games in Milwaukee, Murphy and Virginia Tech will be playing at 3:30 p.m. as the 11th seed against sixth-seeded Texas. The Hokies, who received some first-place votes in the ACC preseason poll, started the year 10-10 and wouldn't have made the tournament without a second-half surge that included four wins in four days at the ACC tournament.
Murphy was a big part of the turnaround, including 5 three-pointers in a buzzer-beating win over Clemson in the first game of the tournament.
Murphy, the senior point guard who complemented what White already had cooking in Virginia Tech, wasn't immune to the early-season struggles.
"I was in a couple slumps throughout the season as well, but guys on our team, Hunter (Cattoor) and our coaches and everyone, kept telling me just to keep shooting," Murphy said. "I'm a great shooter and I have every right and reason to be confident."
Murphy averages 8.1 points per game and shoots 36% from distance, and the team shoots 39.3% from deep — the third best percentage in the country.
"(White) will tell us, you all are such good shooters," Murphy said. "You've worked for this every single day, I've seen guys make countless shots, so step up and shoot it. So if you actually turn down an open shot, you're coming out of the game. I know that has meant a lot to shooters and everyone on our time, getting our confidence going."
Familiarity with not just the coach, but also leading scorer Keve Aluma
Keve Aluma, who leads Virginia Tech with 15.8 points per game, also played on the Wofford team that went to the 2019 NCAA Tournament, though he transferred immediately to Virginia Tech when White relocated and sat out a year.
"He definitely played a role (in me coming here)," Murphy said. "I Facetimed him at the ACC tournament that week when I entered the (transfer) portal, (asking) what it would be like."
Murphy alerted White right after the Hokies lost in that tournament he was choosing to play his final year of college basketball in Blacksburg.
"They have a really close-knit family," White said. "That was a sacrifice for him and Mom and Dad to let him go that far away from home (instead of playing in Madison). I'm glad they did. I knew coach (Greg) Gard and others in this region (were interested). I don't know how intense that recruitment was. I never asked. But I knew there would be some competition, a lot of competition. Our relationship was not going to trump maybe some personal family things.
"He's a wonderful, wonderful young person and it's nice to see him have another great year for us here."
Even before Virginia Tech dominated Duke for the ACC crown at Madison Square Garden, 82-67, Murphy said he was already receiving texts from family members eager to see him get a chance to play ... and maybe close to home.
"It does mean a lot to be able to come back home," he said. "I've been to Milwaukee countless times, I've played so many games in Milwaukee. I've had a lot of friends from here and Madison and all over the state. A lot of friends are hitting me up, friends and family, so it's been a busy week trying to get the tickets sorted out. I'm excited to have that sense and feeling of being home.
"It's absolutely the defining moment of my life." | 2022-03-17T22:42:44Z | www.jsonline.com | Middleton native Storm Murphy leads Virginia Tech into NCAA Tournament | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/middleton-native-storm-murphy-leads-virginia-tech-into-ncaa-tournament/7069940001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/middleton-native-storm-murphy-leads-virginia-tech-into-ncaa-tournament/7069940001/ |
Steven Crowl knows he must eliminate mistakes from the last two games to stay on the court and help Wisconsin advance
Steven Crowl’s second season at Wisconsin has been largely successful and points to a bright future.
After playing a total of 39 minutes over 12 games as a freshman, Crowl enters the NCAA Tournament with 31 starts this season.
Heading into UW’s first-round game against Colgate, Crowl is averaging 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds and shooting 50.5%. He has proved to be a valuable distributor and has 46 assists and only 29 turnovers.
However, Crowl’s overall play in the last two games has been below his standards.
He had three turnovers in the first 2 minutes 28 seconds of UW’s loss to Nebraska in the regular-season finale and finished with four points, four turnovers and seven rebounds.
He got into early foul trouble in the loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament and finished with nine points, two assists, one turnover and one rebound.
Crowl knows he has to avoid similar mistakes against Colgate.
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“The first half against Michigan State I had to sit on the bench for a while,” he said, referring to the foul trouble. “So just try to find that line where you can be physical but not too physical to where you are fouling.
“And then when I catch it in the post just try to be strong and not turn it over. I threw it away against Nebraska a couple of times. Those two things are going to be big for me just to stay on the floor.”
Colgate looks familiar
UW coach Greg Gard has noted several times this week that Colgate is a well-coached, fundamentally sound team.
Watching the Raiders run their offense, he said, looks familiar.
“I’ve seen more jump-stops, pump-fakes and pivots,” he said. “It looks like one of our drills.”
Young scout in the making
Colgate coach Matt Langel acknowledged this week that his son, Lucas, has been helping
“He thinks he is the next Joe Lunardi with bracketology,” Langel said, referring to ESPN’s bracket specialist. “He’s watching film of Wisconsin in study hall, telling me what we need to be doing.
“He is actually pretty accurate. It is a little scary.”
Safe to say the scouting report of 12-year-old Lucas Langel includes a section on slowing UW’s Johnny Davis.
Badgers a trendy upset pick?
Despite the Badgers' impressive overall record, Wisconsin is one of the teams viewed as vulnerable to an upset this weekend. The reason, UW has played in 18 game decided by six points or fewer. The Badgers are 15-3 in those games but have lost their last two, by one point to Nebraska in the regular-season finale and by six to Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament.
"It is fun being the underdog; I think that is always a cool story," reserve forward Ben Carlson said, referring to the low preseason expectations of analysts. "I think there are still some people who doubt us, but we just want to keep improving every day in practice and in every game we play.
"We play with a chip on our shoulder and I think that has definitely helped us."
The Badgers enter the first round 12-6 against teams that qualified for the tournament. The 12 victories is tied with Big Ten rival Purdue (12-7) for the No. 1 mark in the nation.
Fifth-year senior Brad Davison enters the tournament leading all Big Ten players in free-throw shooting at 87.1% (101 of 116). He is No. 4 all-time at UW at 84.4%.
Don’t expect many turnovers when UW and Colgate meet Friday. UW is No. 1 nationally in fewest turnovers per game (8.5) and Colgate averages 11.3 per game.
UW is making its 22nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last 23 seasons. Beginning with the 1992-93 season, UW’s football and men’s basketball teams have combined to make 51 appearances in bowl games and the NCAA Tournament. That is the most combined appearances of any school in the country. Florida (48) is second, followed by Texas (47) and Michigan State (46) and North Carolina (46). | 2022-03-17T22:42:50Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin Badgers' Steven Crowl looks to limit cut turnovers, fouls | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/wisconsin-badgers-steven-crowl-looks-limit-cut-turnovers-fouls/7069909001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/wisconsin-badgers-steven-crowl-looks-limit-cut-turnovers-fouls/7069909001/ |
Yale gets its shot at NCAA glory in Milwaukee after Ivy League canceled 2020-21 season
On Wednesday, Yale players witnessed former teammate Paul Atkinson enjoy his one shining moment in the NCAA Tournament, hitting the winning basket in double overtime to lift Notre Dame past Rutgers in the First Four. Atkinson was co-player of the year in the Ivy League in 2020 but transferred after the conference canceled its 2021-21 season.
Now, it's their turn when the 14th-seeded Bulldogs face Purdue at 1 p.m. Friday in the first of four NCAA Tournament games at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. And despite losing Atkinson, the rest of the squad stayed mostly intact during a challenging season in which the basketball season unfolded around them, but Ivy League teams didn't take part.
"I've said it before, but Yale and coach (James) Jones changed my life," said Yale leading scorer Azar Swain, already the program's all-time leader in three-pointers and, upon appearing in Milwaukee, will become the team's leader in games played, as well. "It really wasn't much thought as far as, like, preserving my eligibility. Yale is where I want to be, where I started, and I felt like with the year, how it ended, my junior year, it felt a little bit like unfinished business, so it was good to be able to come back in, give something to Yale."
The Ivy League no-redshirt policy made it doubly difficult for athletes to decide what to do when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and players such as Atkinson had already made their decision to transfer before the league relented in allowing an extra year of eligibility. Swain and others on the roster took a gap year off campus to preserve their eligibility.
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"Personally, I was able to watch the tournament," senior Jalen Gabiddon said. "It's almost like our time was coming. We took the year off. We knew that we were going to come back reloaded and ready to go the next year. That was almost excitement for me, like I'm getting ready to go back to this. I'm ready to get back on that stage again."
Every two weeks, the team met remotely. Jones invited a series of speakers – basketball luminaries such as Brad Stevens, Steve Clifford, Stephen Silas and former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas – as part of regular Zoom sessions with his decentralized roster, and topics of discussion included issues of social justice.
"I will tell you that our first practice in September, I will never forget as long as I'm allowed to live, the smile on EJ Jarvis's face when we had our first practice, the excitement that we had getting back on the court and being able to do what we do," Jones said. "It was tremendous. And sometimes something has to be taken away from you for you to realize how much you enjoy it to miss it."
He'll have a major challenge on his hands. Purdue's size gives normal teams fits; Yale won't have a player on the floor taller than 6-foot-8 to match wits with 7-4 Zach Edey and 6-10 Trevion Williams.
"Obviously when you have smaller guys on you, they know that, so they'll send double teams at you," Edey said. "They'll tell their guys try to set up some fouls, so you have to really watch what you're doing with your arms. And even when you do nothing wrong, they just fall over, and you get the foul anyways just because they're smaller. And they're allowed to do a lot of different stuff to you. It's just a different game. Obviously, it's easier to get to the post position. It's easier to back them down. But you just have to worry about a completely different game, really, when you're playing a small guy."
Ivy League teams have frequently made noise in the NCAA Tournament. Yale pushed LSU to the brink in the first round in 2019 before falling, 79-74.
Princeton's losses to Kentucky in 2011 and 2017 both came down to the final possession. Harvard won first-round games in 2013 and 2014, with a two-point loss to North Carolina in 2015.
In 2011, Cornell's run to the Sweet 16 included a win over Wisconsin in the second round.
Texas' Andrew Jones, leukemia survivor, gets another chance to dance
When Andrew Jones took part in the 2017 NBA Combine after his freshman year at Texas – before eventually withdrawing his name from the NBA draft – there's no way he could have envisioned preparing to play in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
But here is Jones, 24 years old and a cancer survivor, prepping for a showdown against Virginia Tech, tipping off at approximately 3:30 p.m. Friday at Fiserv Forum.
"It's amazing, man," Jones said. "It's probably one of the most ecstatic feelings I've ever had. Last year, with COVID, playing in the tournament (with all games in Indiana) was fun, but I never got the chance to experience true March Madness with the atmosphere and the hype that comes around it. I'm excited to be able to come back for a consecutive year and make a run and hopefully go as far as we can."
Jones was diagnosed with leukemia in January 2018 and completed treatment eight months later, but it cost him nearly two full seasons of basketball. He averages 10.1 points a game for the Longhorns.
The United States Basketball Writers Association gave Jones the Perry Wallace Most Courageous Award for 2022, named for the first Black varsity athlete to play under scholarship in the SEC when he played at Vanderbilt.
Earlier this year, Jones announced he'd donate a portion of revenue he earned through the "name, image and likeness" process would be donated to cancer research.
"It was truly unexpected," Jones said of the award. "Going into the season when I'm playing, I'm not necessarily looking for accolades or rewards. I just do things out of the kindness of my heart. That award that I received, it means a lot to me, because of just the background and history of who started the award and what it stands for and what it means."
LSU will soldier on without its coach
Louisiana State comes to Milwaukee without its coach, Will Wade, who was fired for cause after the NCAA notified the program of multiple NCAA violations.
Instead, assistant Kevin Nickelberry will serve as interim coach.
"It's a very touchy situation," said senior forward Darius Days, who said he didn't believe there was a "dark cloud" around LSU basketball. "I miss him. Our players miss him, but we have to continue doing what we've been doing our whole lives, is playing basketball."
"We can only control what we can control," echoed teammate Xavier Pinson. "We're players. We don't make the big-boy decisions, we just play and keep the same objectives."
The sixth-seeded Tigers will face Iowa State at 6:20 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee.
Texas, Purdue return to tournament after heartbreak last year
If there was any knock on Shaka Smart when he left Texas to become head coach at Marquette, overseeing the Golden Eagles in the arena in which Texas will now seek to grab its first NCAA Tournament win since 2014, it's that his Longhorns teams never won a game in the showcase. The last three have been particularly heartbreaking.
In 2016, Texas lost when Wisconsin native Paul Jesperson hit a half-court buzzer beater to give 11th seeded Northern Iowa an unforgettable 75-72 win.
In 2018, when Andrew Jones left the team following his leukemia diagnosis, Nevada erased a 14-point deficit in the second half and shocked Texas in overtime, 87-83.
Last year, 14th-seeded Abilene Christian staged an unthinkable 53-52 win over Texas, when Joe Pleasant was fouled with 2 seconds left and hit the winning free throws.
"This is a new team, a new coaching staff; we can't focus on the past," said Jones, who played under Smart. "We have a new coaching staff, an entirely new team. So we're just focused on this moment right now."
Texas's last NCAA Tournament win came in Milwaukee in 2014, when Cameron Ridley grabbed an air-balled three-pointer and scored at the buzzer to give the Longhorns an 87-85 win over Arizona State. Texas lost to Michigan two days later.
Purdue has its own heartbreak to bear, losing last year as a No. 4 seed to North Texas.
"We've watched film on that game pretty much all summer, and that was kind of our drive and motivation, becoming a team that we were — or that we are," Williams said. "It still motivates us to this day." | 2022-03-17T22:42:56Z | www.jsonline.com | Year after Ivy League canceled season, Yale returns to NCAA Tournament | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/year-after-ivy-league-canceled-season-yale-returns-ncaa-tournament/7069974001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/17/year-after-ivy-league-canceled-season-yale-returns-ncaa-tournament/7069974001/ |
PHOENIX – Every spring in every camp, there's one player who immediately turns heads with an offseason physical transformation.
That player for the Milwaukee Brewers this year is Luis Urías.
Standing 5 feet 9 inches, the 24-year-old checked in at a jacked-up 198 pounds. He's noticeably thicker in the chest, arms and legs, carrying more of the heft that's usually associated with a prototype third baseman.
But Urías made it clear he's not seeking to enter any bodybuilding contests or muscling up in an attempt to increase his home-run total. Instead, he's simply trying to be proactive about the inevitable weight loss he experiences over the course of a 162-game grind.
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"Usually I go down; it’s really hard for me to keep my weight – especially during the games," he said Thursday. "So, it’s like a normal routine. I feel pretty good right now, but during the season I’m going to go down a little bit."
Urías said he finished last season around 185 pounds, with his lower body not nearly as strong as he prefers. So he hit the gym harder over the winter and with the extra work is now bulked up in his thighs, backside and calves.
"I would say working out more, trying to get my legs ready and stronger," he said. "Last year at the beginning of the season I had the injury in my hamstring. I didn’t go to the IL, but I felt it and through the whole year I felt like I couldn’t get the strength.
"So, that was my main focus in the offseason, to be stronger in my legs."
Among the many facets of baseball manager Craig Counsell loves is the fact that there are literally players of all shapes and sizes not only playing the game but excelling at it, and he pointed to that fact when asked about Urías bulking up.
"The great thing about baseball is there's no body shape or type for a position. It's been shattered too many times," he said. "What we like is he was a minor-league shortstop, and he's going to play shortstop for this team."
But with Willy Adames entrenched as the regular at that position, the primary spot for Urías moving forward will remain third base.
Nobody saw that coming a year ago, when Urías broke camp as the starting shortstop. The Brewers were so certain of his capabilities as an every-day player there that they quickly traded incumbent Orlando Arcia to the Atlanta Braves.
But after a flurry of throwing errors by Urías, talks between Milwaukee and Tampa Bay heated up to the point the two teams consummated a deal to bring Adames to the Brewers, and immediately he took over at shortstop.
Urías was gracious despite losing his spot, insisting he was on board with whatever would help the Brewers would win games.
"At the time I was just trying to be as helpful as I could for the team," he said. "Obviously, I was sad that I lost the job at shortstop, but I think it was the best thing for the team at the moment because I wasn’t playing very well at short. But at the same time, I think it was the perfect thing for me, to slow everything down.
"I didn’t see it as a bad thing at the moment. It was the perfect thing for the team and also for me."
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As it turned out, that would be sliding over to third base, which became a necessity after Travis Shaw dislocated his left shoulder and landed on the 60-day injured list.
Urías turned out to be much more than a placeholder. He thrived with the position change, fixing his throwing woes to become a well-above-average defender (plus-6 defensive runs saved) while also displaying surprising pop at the plate.
By the time the season was done, Urías had posted career highs in every major category: a .249 average, 23 home runs, 75 runs batted in and an OPS of .789 in of 150 games.
Coming into the season, Urías had totaled 124 games in parts of three seasons with the San Diego Padres (the team that originally signed him and later traded him to Milwaukee) and the Brewers.
He hit .239 without a homer and drove in only 11 runs in the pandemic-shortened 2020, a year that began with hand surgery followed by a bout with COVID-19.
"The 2020 season for him, you can almost cross a line through it," Counsell said. "He got stuck in a tough COVID situation that really made the start of this thing hard for him. We were never able to get him into a spot with his training that was fair or consistent for him, then he struggled in a quick season."
But 2021 changed the narrative completely.
And taking into account the total package, Milwaukee went into this past offseason feeling confident that Urías could continue to man third base moving forward while also taking advantage of his ability to play shortstop and second base when needed.
It's a commitment he appreciates.
"I love playing third," he said. "Last year, I felt pretty comfortable being over there. Obviously, I think I’m going to have more chances to play third base this year, but I kind of see myself in a spot where I play everywhere – shortstop, second base, third base.
"My main goal is being healthy, and I just want to be ready to help the team."
Added Counsell: "I think Luis is in a spot to have a great season."
Urías already has April 11-13 circled on his calendar, as the Brewers' three-game interleague series at Baltimore will mean a Battle of the Brothers – Luis vs. Ramón Urías, who is the older of the pair and entering his third year as an Orioles infielder.
"Yeah, we were kind of worrying about it during the lockout, when they were suspending games," Luis said. "We were like, ‘Man, we might not play (against each other).’ I’m really excited for it."
There have been a few prior battles between the Urías brothers in an organized game, according to Luis.
"We played in Mexico when I was 17; I think he was 20. It was in the big leagues in Mexico," he said. "I think we played three games against each other. My dad was there, my mom was there.
"It was pretty fun." | 2022-03-17T22:43:08Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Brewers infielder Luis Urías bulked up to start 2022 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/17/milwaukee-brewers-infielder-luis-urias-bulked-up-start-2022/7075383001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/03/17/milwaukee-brewers-infielder-luis-urias-bulked-up-start-2022/7075383001/ |
Brett Favre attends his first NBA game and then Giannis Antetokounmpo gives his jersey to the Packers legend's grandson
Two Wisconsin sports legends met Wednesday night after the Bucks' 135-126 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Brett Favre meet Giannis Antetokounmpo.
After Favre and his grandson, Parker, took in the Bucks game at Golden 1 Center, they paid a visit to the team's locker room.
In a moment captured on the Bucks' Twitter account, Favre congratulated the team and then revealed it was the first time he attended an NBA game.
"It was fun watching you," the Hall of Fame quarterback told the Bucks players assembled in the locker room. "First time I ever saw a pro game in person, believe it or not. I enjoyed it. Giannis, man you're good."
Antetokounmpo scored 36 points on 12 of 23 shooting and 12 of 16 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed 10 rebounds. Antetokounmpo then showed Favre his goodness beyond the court.
After Parker high-fived Wesley Matthews, he approached Antetokounmpo, who sported two bags of ice on each knee. The two shared a handshake and then Antetokounmpo asked him if he wanted his jersey.
"It's kind of sweaty, but this is yours," the two-time NBA MVP said.
He signed it and told him not to share it with his "granddad, OK."
Favre's grandson was thrilled to say the least.
"I'm going to hang this on my wall," he said as he left with a huge smile on his face.
More:Funnyman Giannis Antetokounmpo strikes again with a 'Dad joke' on a recent flight | 2022-03-17T22:43:14Z | www.jsonline.com | Brett Favre attends Bucks vs Kings game, Giannis gifts grandson jersey | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2022/03/17/brett-favre-attends-bucks-game-vs-kings-gifts-grandson-number-34-jersey/7081665001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2022/03/17/brett-favre-attends-bucks-game-vs-kings-gifts-grandson-number-34-jersey/7081665001/ |
Milwaukee County spends $420,000 per juvenile imprisonment this year as officials see a rise in costs, prisoners
The Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services is projecting a $6 million deficit in 2022 because of an unexpectedly high number of youth being sent to state prisons and the increased cost of committing them, county officials told a committee of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Thursday.
The county had budgeted $7.2 million to pay for Milwaukee County youth committed to one of the state's youth prisons this year: Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls north of Wausau or Mendota Juvenile Treatment Facility in Madison.
But now county officials expect the cost to be closer to $13.2 million, said Clare O'Brien, budget and policy director for the county health department, which oversees the county division related to youth justice.
It is a situation that county officials worry might result in cuts to local, community-based programs that focus on prevention or on rehabilitating young people involved in crime, at a time when serious crime is on the rise and caseloads are ballooning.
"We are really at a critical stage," Shakita LaGrant-McClain, director of the county health department, said during an earlier county committee meeting on Wednesday. "We need more community-based efforts. ... I am really concerned that all the work that we have done ... will go away because we won't have the funding to do it."
O'Brien delivered the report about the projected deficit during a meeting of the county board's finance committee on Thursday. The report was informational, and committee members did not take any action related to the projected deficit.
Milwaukee County is charged a daily rate for most youth sent by Milwaukee County judges to a state prison.
The county had been expecting to pay for about 17 youth per day to be held at state prisons this year, according to a document from LaGrant-McClain to the county board. But now, it's projecting having to pay for closer to 30 youth per day.
Milwaukee County has been sending fewer and fewer youth to the state prisons in recent years.
A 2018 law ordered the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools, which has for years drawn lawsuits over abuse and mistreatment of youth and was the subject of a four-year criminal probe that ultimately did not result in charges. But the prison remains open, amid delays to build smaller replacement facilities closer to where the youth live.
In January and February, county officials noted an uptick in kids being sent to the prisons, they said.
There are now 34 youth for whom Milwaukee County is responsible for footing the bill being held in Lincoln Hills, Copper Lake or Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center, O'Brien said.
On top of the increase in commitments to the state prisons, it is much more expensive to house youth in the facilities than it was a year ago.
On July 1, the cost to house youth at Lincoln Hills, Copper Lake and the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center nearly doubled — from $615 to $1,154 per person per day. The rate is established as part of the biennial budget and is written into law.
That means it costs taxpayers about $420,000 for every youth housed at one of the prisons for a year.
The cost will go up slightly on July 1 of this year, from $1,154 to $1,178.
LaGrant-McClain expressed frustration with the situation, saying officials could do so much with the millions of dollars spent incarcerating youth at the state prisons.
"Imagine what that can do with community-based services," she said.
Several county-based programs, including the Milwaukee County Accountability Program for serious offenders and a mentoring program for at-risk youth called Credible Messengers, are bursting at the seams and have long waitlists, county officials have reported.
In the last year, youth crime has been on the rise. Milwaukee police made more arrests of youth ages 16 and younger in 2021 than in any year since 2016, the last time arrests were unusually high, according to data obtained from the Milwaukee Police Department.
The bulk of the arrests have been for vehicle theft, reckless driving, fleeing police and other related crimes, according to the data. Robberies have also been high.
More:Over 11,500 vehicles were stolen across the Milwaukee area in 2021. The trend doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
In a February memo to the county board reporting the deficit, county officials said they have "limited control" over the increase in costs.
"Unfortunately, with limited flexibility, options to mitigate the deficit are likely to involve a reduction to prevention and community-based investments with" the division for youth justice, the memo says.
At Thursday's meeting, officials revised the deficit projection they had put in the February memo, putting it closer to $6 million, instead of the $4.6 million noted in February.
Officials said they would continue to monitor the situation. It is early in the year and the deficit might turn out to be different than officials project. | 2022-03-18T01:05:34Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee leaders project deficit due to more child prisoners, costs | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/17/milwaukee-leaders-project-deficit-due-more-child-prisoners-costs/7082612001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/17/milwaukee-leaders-project-deficit-due-more-child-prisoners-costs/7082612001/ |
'Kids need kids': Program connects Afghan refugee children with Milwaukee buddies to help ease transition to life in America
Afghan evacuee children settling into their new lives in the U.S. tend to meet a lot of adults: case managers, resettlement agency volunteers, teachers.
A new program in the Milwaukee area aims to connect them with American kids their own age.
The “Be a Buddy” program, run by the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, has a bit of language-learning and cultural orientation in its twice-monthly Saturday events. But its main goal, organizers say, is simple: to let the kids have fun and make friends.
“Kids need kids. They want peers, they want people that they can associate with and relate to,” said Janan Najeeb, director of the Women’s Coalition.
Roughly 400 people who fled Afghanistan as the Taliban took over last August now call the Milwaukee area home. Many are families with children. Organizers believe the buddy program will be crucial in getting the kids acclimated to their new environments.
“There’s someone that they now know that's in America that wants to help them,” said Destiny Hamblin, a program organizer. “I think that is really important.”
More:Here's what you should know about Afghan evacuees as they are are resettled in Wisconsin
About 35 Afghan kids and 35 American buddies — most from the local Muslim community — signed up for the program, which is intended for kids 10 to 16. They get lunch, play games in the gymnasium and exchange some cultural knowledge. Organizers are lining up art and science workshops as well, Hamblin said.
As kids filtered into the Brookfield gym at 13780 Hope Street, on a recent Saturday, they were grouped with others close in age. The younger kids played “Duck, Duck, Goose” and charades, while the older teens did ice-breaker activities designed to foster conversation.
Afghan interpreters were on hand to explain the rules of a relay race involving hula hoops and basketballs, and volunteers cheered from the sidelines as kids lobbed shots at the net.
Later, the groups learned common phrases in English and Pashto, one of two main languages of Afghanistan.
Kids need support from peers after instability of evacuation
The Women’s Coalition first got the idea for the buddy program after caring for Afghan children during a week last year.
Several Afghan families had arrived in Milwaukee from U.S. military bases, but their permanent homes were not ready yet, so a refugee resettlement agency placed them in hotels temporarily.
Staff from the Women’s Coalition brought many of the kids to the Islamic Resource Center during the day and kept them busy with activities.
The staff realized the kids needed to learn more about American culture if they were going to have success in school and in daily life, Najeeb said.
“What we had realized was that they still needed support,” Hamblin said.
Organizers were concerned about bullying in schools. Refugee students who dress differently than their classmates, eat different food and speak with an accent can feel isolated in their new environments, Najeeb said.
Plus, Afghan evacuee children must contend with the trauma of their sudden upheaval from home and the often monthslong stays at U.S. military bases while they waited to be resettled.
It’s important that they have someone their age they can turn to for emotional support, organizers said.
“These are families and kids that left all their friends, and for the most part their relatives, behind,” Najeeb said. “The hardest thing is when you have no one to talk to.”
Already, Hamblin has seen kids connecting despite language barriers. At the first event, she saw American kids teaching their Afghan buddies new words in English, and teens exchanging phone numbers and showing each other TikToks.
She noticed kids who didn’t speak at all when they were at the Islamic Resource Center for a week last year were opening up and talking.
“It was fascinating and also really heartwarming to see everybody just come together,” Hamblin said.
'It's going to get easier'
The buddy program got a needed boost of support from New Berlin dad Shamshad Siddiqui, who rallied several friends to transport all the Afghan children to the event.
Using their seven- and eight-seat vans, Siddiqui and his friends now pick up the kids from their homes across the Milwaukee area — most families don’t have cars yet — and take them to Brookfield.
Siddiqui got involved in the program when his daughter, Uzma, announced she wanted to help refugees for her 13th birthday. Uzma, a seventh grader, has already made some new friends after two Saturday sessions. She said she liked the sense of community.
From Siddiqui’s perspective, it’s a good opportunity for American kids to get exposed to new perspectives and cultures.
“I think it’s a great experience for these kids,” he said. “They get to know how privileged they are and what kind of challenges there are around the world.”
Hamblin said the American kids are strengthening their social muscles as well. They're figuring out how to communicate despite a language barrier, making new friends both American and Afghan, and practicing key skills like teamwork and collaboration that will be useful in the long run, she said.
The buddy program helps the newcomers bolster those same skills in a safe environment, organizers said. Feeling comfortable and accepted will prove crucial as the kids get acclimated.
On the ride to Brookfield, one of the Afghan kids in Siddiqui’s car told him he was having a tough time adjusting to life at school.
“I told him, it’s going to take time. Nothing’s going to change overnight. As time goes on, it’s going to get easier and smoother,” Siddiqui said. “And I believe programs like this will help or expedite this process.”
More:For Afghan 'guests' in Wisconsin, remembering the past is not easy. But on their path to asylum, it's essential.
Asma Iqbalzada, 18, who was helping as an interpreter at a recent event, agreed. She fled her home in Kabul with her family and recently resettled in Milwaukee.
She said the program is important for the Afghan kids because they can learn some English as well as get acclimated to American culture.
When refugees come to the U.S, “we are face-to-face with a different culture,” she said.
She offered an example. After her sister’s first day of school in Milwaukee, Iqbalzada said she returned home exasperated at the lax classroom environment. But now, she’s happy and has made friends.
“The problem is with the first days,” Iqbalzada said. “But it will be fine.” | 2022-03-18T13:07:36Z | www.jsonline.com | Be a Buddy program gives newly arrived Afghan kids American buddies | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/03/18/buddy-program-gives-newly-arrived-afghan-kids-american-buddies/9411763002/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/03/18/buddy-program-gives-newly-arrived-afghan-kids-american-buddies/9411763002/ |
Jesse Marsch is not necessarily a household name in our neck of the woods, but Marsch is well known across the pond.
The Racine native has grown through the ranks of European football and now manages Leeds United, where he earned his first English Premier League victory on Sunday.
It was a gigantic victory for Marsch, whose team is facing relegation having hovered around the bottom of the Premier League standings. Every year the bottom three teams in the standings are relegated to the second-tier league, the English Football League Championship.
"When you talk about individual moments in your career, that was certainly special. I know I'll remember that one for a long time," Marsch told the media following Sunday's win.
At a press conference earlier this month, a reporter asked Marsch about the effect the Ted Lasso TV show has had on his very real reality as the only American manager in the Premier League.
"Yea, I think there's probably a stigma. I'm not sure Ted Lasso helped," Marsch said.
"I haven't watched the show but I get it, I get it. People hate hearing the word soccer."
Marsch, 48, a former high school soccer standout who graduated from Racine Case in 1991 and was an All-American at Princeton University, graduating in 1996, is one of the most decorated and respected players in Major League Soccer history. Marsch won three MLS Cup titles and four U.S. Open Cup medals during his 14-year MLS career.
Following his playing career, Marsch was hired as an assistant coach for the US Men's National Team, where he helped the US win its group at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Following his stint with the national team, he briefly coached Montreal Impact and then eventually the New York Red Bulls before moving onto Europe.
Marsch is one of the few Americans to accomplish feats in European football as a manager. Marsch became the first American to coach in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2019, when he guided RB Salzburg of Austria to the tournament.
Marsch became the first American to win a European title when he won the "double" for Salzburg, claiming the league and domestic cup in Austria, a particularly impressive feat considering Marsch was in his first season as manager.
After two years with Salzburg, Marsch had a short stay in Germany with Bundesliga squad RB Leipzig, before arriving in Leeds earlier this year.
Although it's been a tough first year for Marsch, he takes over a team with a storied history. The team finished first or second seven times in the 1960s and 70s. They also secured a first division tittle in 1992. | 2022-03-18T13:07:48Z | www.jsonline.com | Racine's Jesse Marsch says Ted Lasso hasn't helped with his stigma | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/03/18/racines-jesse-marsch-says-ted-lasso-hasnt-helped-his-stigma-english-football/7045170001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/03/18/racines-jesse-marsch-says-ted-lasso-hasnt-helped-his-stigma-english-football/7045170001/ |
Nickel: Johnny and Jordan Davis are the team within the Wisconsin team, twins enjoying a rare opportunity together
All eyes were Johnny Davis as he lay under the basket two weeks ago, buckling from the flagrant foul by Nebraska’s Trey McGowens and writhing in pain on the floor.
But on the sideline, Wisconsin was doing a little pushing of its own because assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft immediately put himself between the action on the court and Johnny’s teammate and twin brother, Jordan, who had instinctively stepped forward, ready to confront McGowens. Krabbenhoft gave Jordan a little push back and a warning: Stay put.
Jordan’s blood simmered.
"I knew that was kind of on purpose,” Jordan Davis said. “I got up to go over there, but Coach Krab held me back. I definitely wanted to go over there and do some things. I wanted to at least say, ‘Come on man. That’s dirty.’
“I would do that for any of my teammates. But Johnny, like, that's a little bit different.”
More:Wisconsin vs. Colgate matchups and what to watch in the Badgers basketball team's first-round NCAA Tournament game
More:Steven Crowl knows he must eliminate mistakes from the last two games to stay on the court and help Wisconsin advance
Consensus first-team All-American.
Big Ten player of the year.
Wooden Award finalist.
Naismith Trophy semifinalist.
Future NBA playmaker.
And fraternal twin brother of Jordan, older by 8 minutes, separated by jerseys alone.
“Being a twin brother, you always want what's best for your sibling,” Jordan said Thursday afternoon before the Badgers took the court for practice at Fiserv Forum. “I always want what's best for him.”
Every Big Dance is special, but this year, at this place, after everything? Johnny and Jordan Davis are going to relish every moment of this NCAA Tournament first round in Milwaukee.
For the 2021 tournament, when COVID-19 protocols separated them to isolate in different rooms, and even keep their parents in another hotel, unable to visit.
For 2019, when they capped their childhood dreams coming up as coveted recruits from La Crosse, announcing their commitments to play together at Wisconsin in Madison.
There’s the team goal and obligation, to see the Badgers through to the other side of this weekend, to cap off a memorable year with so many miraculous moments.
“We still have a lot to prove,” said Jordan.
But within Team Wisconsin there is Team Davis: a star in the making, a brother patiently waiting for his time, a father’s claim to fame, and a family that can withstand anything because they have each other.
That support is evident first in the games, watching No. 1 and No. 2 interact with each other.
“When he's not able to play as much as he wants, he's able to analyze the game,” Johnny said Thursday. “Every time I come to the bench during a timeout, or I'm getting subbed out, he just gives me tips and advice on what I need to do better.”
It's more than constructive criticism. They pick each other up, too.
It wouldn’t work if the two sophomore guards were exactly alike because there’d be no diversity of thought there. But if Johnny has a bit of a gambling mentality – he's got some kind of friendly blackjack games with teammate Brad Davison – Jordan recoils at the thought of losing any money.
Johnny is businesslike. Jordan is more outgoing and extroverted. They’ve both had to take the express lane to adulthood, with Johnny facing the pressure of being college basketball’s newest darling and Jordan enduring the unfair comparisons.
“Everyone tries to compare me to Johnny saying like, 'Oh, why aren't you as good as him' or something like that?” Jordan said without any perceptible animosity or anger. “Honestly, we're two different players.
“I know what I have, and I know that I bring a lot more to the table, but this year like I've accepted my role. My role is to come and play defense, maybe score outside shots.”
And sit patiently. While Johnny is like father Mark Davis, a bit more hard charging for the moment, Jordan takes after mom Sarah. Patient, while still persistent. Believing in the best outcome.
The Davis family is competitive. Mark likes to tweak everyone with a reminder that back in the day as a pro – he did play briefly for the Milwaukee Bucks in the Bradley Center – he was singled out by Michael Jordan for being a shooter, and not someone to slough off of on defense.
But growing up and playing ball together like their dad also meant that Johnny and Jordan admired other basketball-playing brothers. They like the Antetokoumpos, having played with the youngest brother, Alex. They appreciate Iowa’s twins, Keegan and Kris Murray.
“I'm rooting for them, because I know what it's like,” said Jordan.
Naturally, the Davis family will be well represented at Fiserv Friday when the Badgers face Colgate. Mark and Sarah’s younger twins – yes they have another set, Maxwell and Samantha – are also expected to attend. Their presence creates more support than pressure for the Johnny and Jordan, and that’s a good thing.
Because somehow the brothers have gone from experiencing all the love as the state’s best recruits – some say Johnny may even change the face of recruiting for Greg Gard at Wisconsin – to weird fan negativity no matter their efforts or achievements.
It's ridiculous. And sometimes it meant Jordan would put so much pressure on himself – when his time is so limited he may only get one shot per game. He’s so invested on the sidelines to be ready, he has to take a deep breath when he checks in. And let the pressure go.
Let all that go. Because that’s not their story.
Their story is of two years of playing for Wisconsin, and having a conference championship season no matter what happens this weekend. They helped bring the program out of a pandemic and all those challenges to the NCAA Tournament.
One of the seniors for Wisconsin is using a video recorder to chronicle the behind-the-scenes moments. Wisconsin hopes that it doesn't end with a share of the Big Ten title.
But for a pair of brothers, one who may be headed for pro ball next year, it’s impossible to tell: Could this be the last time they play together?
“When our paths separate, I guess, wherever he goes or wherever I go, we will still stay in contact every day,” said Jordan. “He's my go-to guy. We're best friends on and off the court.
“It's a dream come true to play with him. You know, he worked so hard to get here and I know we don't want to see it end. Especially since our paths may be different after this year. So we're just trying to live in the moment.
“You’ve got to enjoy the memories right now, especially this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” | 2022-03-18T13:08:00Z | www.jsonline.com | Twins Johnny and Jordan Davis a team within Wisconsin basketball team | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/18/twins-johnny-and-jordan-davis-team-within-wisconsin-basketball-team/7069882001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/18/twins-johnny-and-jordan-davis-team-within-wisconsin-basketball-team/7069882001/ |
Woodman's Food Market in Waukesha is fighting against a lawsuit filed last year by two competing gas stations that allege it sold fuel below the legal limit for the past two years, according to court documents.
Gogo Petroleum LLC, which operates a Shell station at 1635 E. Main Street, and Super Four Corp, the operator of a BP station at 1610 Lincoln Ave., said Woodman's violated Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which prohibits selling goods below cost. The suit said Woodman's — which competitors considered to be a "price leader" in Waukesha's motor vehicle fuel market — failed to comply with that act for at least 40 of the past 180 days since Sept. 27, 2020 and when the suit was filed in March 2021.
Each of the two other stations was "forced to keep its motor vehicle fuel price at a higher amount, causing a reduction in customer volume, because customers would choose to shop at Woodman's or a competitor of Woodman's which lowered its price to match," according to the lawsuit.
Owners of the two stations argued they are entitled to $2,000 in damages multiplied by each day of continued violation of the Unfair Sales Act, the suit said.
In a motion responding to the suit, Woodman's defended it's actions, asserting that it's practices fall under an exception to the Unfair Sales Act, which allows it to reduce the price of its gas to meet a competitor's price provided it notifies the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Woodman's argued its prices are comparable to competitor Costco Wholesale in Pewaukee, about six and a half miles away from the Woodman's Waukesha store at 1600 E. Main St. "Woodman's is immune from this lawsuit," the motion said.
Woodman's on March 14 asked Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge William Domina to dismiss the case, court records show. The next hearing is scheduled for June 27 and a jury trial is set for Oct. 18-20. | 2022-03-18T16:18:34Z | www.jsonline.com | Waukesha Woodman's sold gas too low, hurt competitors, lawsuit says | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/18/waukesha-woodmans-sold-gas-too-low-hurt-competitors-lawsuit-says/7064200001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/2022/03/18/waukesha-woodmans-sold-gas-too-low-hurt-competitors-lawsuit-says/7064200001/ |
Construction of Oconomowoc's Olympia Fields will continue to the second phase after the common council voted Tuesday to approve a contract with the construction management company, despite some hesitancy from council members over the price tag.
The Common Council approved a net cost of $473,000 for construction management firm Ruekert & Mielke, which also handled Phase 1, to continue the project it started about two years ago.
The project started in January 2020 when new owners Wangard Partners planned to raze the old Olympia Resort at 1350 Royale Mile Road and turn the area into a space with new retail, office building and housing. The site is not far from the Pabst Farms development at I-94 and Highway 67.
In casting the only vote against the Phase 2 contract, Ald. Kevin Ellis objected that the city did not seek bids for the contract.
"You don't know that this is the best price we could have gotten. You cannot," he said.
"I just want to let you know that it's so important in this day and age that we're doing the right thing for the community. And I know we are, but are we really? I'll just leave it at that," Ellis added.
City Administrator Mark Frye said the city didn't seek bids because "we felt it was better to have someone who was involved since the beginning (of the project)."
Construction of the second phase, which will include redoing underground utilities, water main, storm sewers, etc. and rebuilding surrounding roads, will occur from March 14 to Oct. 15, said project manager Terry Tavera.
City officials decided to stick with Ruekert & Mielke for the remaining project construction to make sure the project is completed by October, said Frye, especially because the proposed Sendik's grocery store wants to be open by Thanksgiving.
"This is a project that will need to move along quickly. There's a lot of work," said Frye. "We felt it's best to keep the same team together on this that we've had since Day 1."
"On this specific project, I will vote in favor, but here's why: It's best to keep a project like this with the amount of money and TIF funds and everything we've got going moving fast. Mark (Frye) said he thinks the costs are in line with what he'd typically see with this project," said Ald. Matt Rosek. "If the project slows down or there's difficulties with the first phase, we're going to slow down the whole project."
The city of Oconomowoc is funding the redevelopment of the site through a TIF district that will invest $18.7 million, which helped fund demolition and new infrastructure on the site. | 2022-03-18T19:08:02Z | www.jsonline.com | Oconomowoc Common Council OKs Olympia Fields Phase 2 construction | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/03/18/oconomowoc-common-council-oks-olympia-fields-phase-2-construction/7060506001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/03/18/oconomowoc-common-council-oks-olympia-fields-phase-2-construction/7060506001/ |
An Ozaukee County deputy's body camera video shows an injured bald eagle being rescued in Fredonia
Mike Baierl, a We Energies employee, was headed to his next work assignment on March 10 when he noticed something in a ditch on the side of Shady Lane.
Seeing white feathers on top of a bird's head, he thought, "It can't be a bald eagle," he said during a press conference Wednesday.
But when the eagle raised its head, Baierl parked his vehicle and called the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department.
Deputy Mike Zilke said he initially didn't believe the call he had received from dispatch.
“We get sent to injured animals a lot," he said in a statement. "People have a tendency to make mistakes or exaggerate, so I figured it’s got to be a hawk or a turkey or something.”
Zilke said he called the Pine View Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on his way to the scene. The center instructed Zilke to throw a blanket over the eagle and place it in a vehicle, but the bird scurried away when Zilke and Baierl approached it.
He called the rehabilitation center again and asked for backup.
“My job at that point was to make sure the eagle stayed out of traffic,” said Zilke.
Zilke said he could tell the eagle had suffered a wing injury "because one wing was higher than the other."
Kristen Bustamante, hospital manager at Pine View Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, helped capture the 10-pound bird, which is resting at the center's ICU and has been eating well.
“Fortunately for him, and for us, we haven’t really started our busy season quite yet," Bustamante said in a statement. "So he is currently our only patient in that area. He is able to have as much quiet and peace as he needs.”
Bustamante noted that despite referring to the bird as a male, the 4-year-old eagle is likely a female, given its large size. She said the eagle suffered a dislocated shoulder, which could result in its death.
“Unfortunately for birds of prey, and really all birds, they don’t have the same sort of ball-and-socket joint that we have," she said. "There is no way to surgically reduce any dislocations in these birds, and any joint injury is looked at as a poor prognosis and is often seen as a death sentence.”
Bustamante said the bird could have been struck by a car.
“With these birds being as large as they are, they need a lot of breadth and a lot of room to be able to propel themselves to get off of the ground," she said. "If it saw the car coming and became startled and scared, it could’ve spread its wings out. That wing being out at the wrong place at the wrong time could’ve been what got hit and popped that shoulder out.”
The center will reassess the injury "before we make that final decision just to make sure that we are making the right call,” Bustamante said. | 2022-03-18T19:08:08Z | www.jsonline.com | Video shows injured bald eagle rescue in Ozaukee County in Fredonia | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/2022/03/18/video-shows-injured-bald-eagle-rescue-ozaukee-county-fredonia/7079605001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/2022/03/18/video-shows-injured-bald-eagle-rescue-ozaukee-county-fredonia/7079605001/ |
The new emergency center will replace the county mental health complex in Wauwatosa
More funding has been procured for the Milwaukee County Mental Health Emergency Center, as the center eyes a September opening.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced last August that he was allocating $5.7 million for the center, which will serve county residents.
This week, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced in a news release that she had worked to secure just over $2.5 million for the center, 1525 N. 12th St., Milwaukee.
“Many people are struggling with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges as the result of a pandemic that has brought disruption, isolation and stress," Baldwin said in the release. "We need to provide more support for people and this legislation does just that, including better mental health services for kids who have had to endure a great deal throughout this pandemic."
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division Administrator Michael Lappen said the need for the center has skyrocketed since the coronavirus pandemic began, as the pandemic exacerbated mental health issues for many.
"The best way to serve that need is to make sure that we are available for whoever needs us," Lappen said.
The psychiatric emergency department at the center will replace the emergency department at the Behavioral Health Division’s Mental Health Complex in Wauwatosa. Lappen said there's an increased need for the services the center will offer in the city of Milwaukee.
More than 90% of current patients who come to the Wauwatosa complex are city of Milwaukee residents.
"We're going to be right where the need is, and the hope is that's another barrier removed for people who need help with their mental health and substance use challenges," Lappen said.
The center will be a public-private partnership between the county and four health systems: Advocate Aurora Health, Froedtert Health, Ascension Wisconsin and Children’s Wisconsin.
It will serve adults, adolescents and children, and will accept voluntary as well as involuntary patients. Some of the services provided will include "crisis stabilization and assessment, emergency treatment, connections to inpatient, residential, community-based, peer support and outpatient services," according to the county.
Lappen emphasized that the center will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
"By pairing mental health and substance use services and getting people help with their whole health needs, that's a way to get the community healthier," Lappen said.
Alec Knutson, the government affairs director for Milwaukee County, said the county approached Baldwin about securing funds for the startup and construction costs.
"Sen. Baldwin was really critical in helping us secure these funds," Knutson said.
Lappen said construction for the building will likely be completed by the end of March. The center is set to open in September.
The funding was included in the bipartisan omnibus appropriations legislation for 2022.
“I worked to include this federal funding because it delivers support for Milwaukee County,” Baldwin said.
Drug overdose deaths have also risen in Milwaukee County, as the opioid epidemic has raged on nationwide.
In 2019 there were 418 drug overdose deaths reported in Milwaukee County. In 2021, updated numbers from the county reveal that number rose to 643 deaths — a 53% increase in that statistic in just two years.
“The opioid epidemic and substance use disorder crisis continues to touch every community across Wisconsin and the pandemic has only made this epidemic worse," Baldwin said.
The omnibus legislation also addressed other mental health needs across the nation.
According to a news release, the legislation included:
$857.6 million, a 13.2% increase, for the Mental Health Block Grant, which continues a 5% set aside for states to create crisis care programs.
$315 million, a $65 million increase, for certified community behavioral health clinics.
$120 million, a $13 million increase, for Project AWARE, which will expand efforts to identify and help children and youth who need mental health care, including addressing the needs of children who have experienced trauma.
$111 million, a $90 million increase, for Department of Education programs designed to increase the availability of mental health services in schools, including expanding training programs to prepare new school counselors, social workers and psychologists.
Earlier in March, a mental health walk-in clinic for children opened at Children's Wisconsin. It's designed to be a tool for children experiencing urgent mental and behavioral health needs.The clinic is within the Clinics Building at the hospital, at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa, 8700 W. Watertown Plank Road. | 2022-03-18T19:08:14Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee County Mental Health Emergency Center receives $2.5 million | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/wauwatosa/2022/03/18/milwaukee-county-mental-health-emergency-center-receives-2-5-million/7073496001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/wauwatosa/2022/03/18/milwaukee-county-mental-health-emergency-center-receives-2-5-million/7073496001/ |
MADISON - U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman is one of eight House members to vote against a bill to suspend normal trade relations with Russia amid its unprovoked attack against Ukraine.
Grothman, a Republican from Sheboygan County who represents Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District, was the lone no vote among Wisconsin's eight congressional members.
The bill was approved Thursday 424-8 and will give President Joe Biden the power to increase tariffs on Russia and its ally Belarus until 2024. It allows Biden to restore trade with the two countries if Russia stops its attack on Ukraine.
The legislation was taken up a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed members of Congress, asking the U.S. to do more to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, D-Massachusetts, said on the House floor Thursday the passage of the bill puts greater economic pressure on Putin "and his brutal regime."
"We must do everything in our power to hold Russia accountable for the atrocities it is committing hourly in the nation of Ukraine," Neal said.
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Grothman said he voted against the bill because it included language that reauthorizes and expands the scope of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The language gives the Biden administration the power to impose additional sanctions on Russian officials, and others, deemed to be directly or indirectly involved in serious human rights violations.
"I think the huge broadening of the Magnitsky Act language, if it were to become law, would be such a huge power grab by the executive branch that can be abused all around the world, that we cannot let that provision go through," Grothman said.
"I have been trying to work with senators to have that provision taken out in the Senate, and then we'll look forward to voting for the act without that provision in the future."
A spokesman for Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said Baldwin supports the bill as written. A spokeswoman for Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson declined to comment.
Grothman said he believes the language could lead to sanctions against people who have Christian beliefs.
"Our American foreign policy has become increasingly anti-Christian. And I wish they wouldn't have stuck this in the bill. It didn't belong in the bill," he said.
Republican Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas opposed the bill for the same reasons, they said in public statements and tweets.
"Interventionists at the State Department are doing the happy dance now," Massie tweeted.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, a Democrat representing Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, said the measure would be needed pressure on Putin to cease war in Ukraine and prevent future unprovoked actions.
"We're continuing to isolate Russia from the global economy and hold Putin accountable for his unprovoked and unjust attack on Ukraine," he said in a tweet. | 2022-03-18T19:08:20Z | www.jsonline.com | Grothman votes against bill suspending trade relations with Russia | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/18/grothman-votes-against-bill-suspending-trade-relations-russia/7089262001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/18/grothman-votes-against-bill-suspending-trade-relations-russia/7089262001/ |
Milwaukee Brewing Company put up for sale, according to statement from acquisition firm
The Milwaukee Brewing Company has put itself up for sale, according to a statement from an acquisition firm that specializes in food and beverage plant sales and dispositions.
New Mill Capital, a national acquisition and disposition firm, said in a statement Friday that "the board of directors of Milwaukee Brewing Company has engaged New Mill Capital to seek potential suitors for its downtown Milwaukee production brewery and ale house location including all equipment, intellectual property, and book of business as a going concern," according to a statement.
The sale would include the company's brewery operation at 1128 N. 9th St. near Fiserv Forum and the Milwaukee Ale House at 233 N. Water St. in the city's Historic Third Ward neighborhood.
In its statement, New Mill Capital said it is beginning the process of selling the company immediately and added that it is "focused on finding a strategic buyer for the assets and operation" of Milwaukee Brewing Co.
The brewery was founded in 1997.
More:Milwaukee Brewing Co. celebrates its 22nd anniversary with rare beers and live music
New Mill Capital, in marketing materials on its website, says Milwaukee Brewing Company is the "nicest major microbrewery available in the country," and that it is located in "an amazing downtown Milwaukee location."
Representatives of Milwaukee Brewing and New Mill Capital could not be reached for comment.
“We put our heart and soul into this brewery, building it into the operation it is today,” said Jim Hughes, primary shareholder of Milwaukee Brewing Company, in the statement issued by New Mill.
“We believe in the brewery and people who have been critical to our success but have made the decision to search for a strategic buyer to satisfy internal needs and secure the future of Milwaukee Brewing for decades to come.”
The company produces traditional and specialty ales as well as hard cider, seltzers, and ready to drink cocktails.
New Mill Capital describes itself as "a privately held manufacturing asset acquisition and disposition firm specializing in food processing & beverage plant acquisitions, sales, business brokerage, equipment auction programs, and valuations." | 2022-03-18T21:36:24Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee Brewing Co. and its Milwaukee Ale House are up for sale | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/18/milwaukee-brewing-co-and-its-milwaukee-ale-house-up-sale/7094565001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/18/milwaukee-brewing-co-and-its-milwaukee-ale-house-up-sale/7094565001/ |
62-year-old man dies after car crash on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee
A 62-year-old man died after his vehicle crashed into the median wall of Interstate 43 near the South 27th Street overpass in Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Michael J. Dixon.
The crash was reported around 11 p.m. Thursday and forced the sheriff’s office to close all westbound lanes for about three hours, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Dixon was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m.
More:Northbound lanes at Interstate 41 near Mayfair Road in Milwaukee reopen
The preliminary investigation suggested Dixon may have lost control of his vehicle shortly after entering the Interstate from South 27th Street.
The car skidded and collided with multiple concrete barriers and crossed multiple lanes of traffic until it struck the median wall and came to a stop, according to the sheriff’s office. | 2022-03-18T21:36:30Z | www.jsonline.com | Interstate 43 crash in Milwaukee kills 62-year-old man | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/03/18/interstate-43-crash-milwaukee-kills-62-year-old-man/7093961001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/03/18/interstate-43-crash-milwaukee-kills-62-year-old-man/7093961001/ |
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers is expressing frustration with members of the Natural Resources Board who failed to pass standards for "forever chemicals," leaving Wisconsinites at risk of consuming the contaminants.
During a lunch with WisPolitics.com on Thursday, Evers, a Democrat, said standards are necessary, and sooner than three years down the road.
"We should be able to deal with that in a much more transparent way, a much quicker way," he said. "The longer we wait to set standards, the more it's going to cost and the more people are going to be harmed, health-wise."
Evers went on to say that pushing for regulations for PFAS isn't anti-business.
"The longer this plays out, people are going to hope this goes away. But it's not," he said. "We have to deal with it now. It's really important."
The Natural Resources Board — which sets policy for the Department of Natural Resources — voted against groundwater standards for PFAS at the end of February, ending a nearly three-year rulemaking process. About 1 million Wisconsinites rely on groundwater as their source drinking water, including cities like Madison and Eau Claire.
The board approved drinking water standards of 70 parts per trillion, well over the 20 parts per trillion recommended by the DNR and the Department of Health Services, which was created to be more protective of infants and small children, experts said. The board also approved the recommended surface water standards with no changes.
More: Wisconsin Natural Resources Board passes PFAS standards in drinking and surface waters, leaves groundwater unregulated
"We have to set standards," Evers said. "It could take three more years minimum to create standards for PFAS, while French Island residents are asking 'How much longer do I have to drink Culligan water?' It's just not right."
French Island is home to the Town of Campbell, just outside of La Crosse. PFAS were found in a large number of private drinking wells on the island last year, prompting the DNR to step in and provide bottled water to residents who are now unable to consume their own tap water due to the contamination.
PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a family of man-made chemicals used for their water- and stain-resistant qualities in products like clothing and carpet, nonstick cookware, packaging and firefighting foam. The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and human body over time.
PFAS have been linked to types of kidney and testicular cancers, lower birth weights, harm to immune and reproductive systems, altered hormone regulation and altered thyroid hormones. The chemicals enter the human body largely through drinking water.
Evers also directed criticism to the state Senate over not confirming his appointees to the Natural Resources Board and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, as well as how Frederick Prehn has overstayed his term on the NRB by nearly a year.
"That's not a way to run a government, and it's anti-democracy at its worst," he said.
Prehn's refusal to step down from the board has prevented Evers' appointee — Sandra Dee Naas — from taking her seat, and has likely impacted the outcome of several votes by the board, including the quota set last year for the fall wolf hunt and PFAS standards.
"We have the wrong people on the board," Evers said. | 2022-03-18T21:36:36Z | www.jsonline.com | Evers calls out Natural Resources Board for failing to act on PFAS | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/18/tony-evers-calls-out-wisconsin-natural-resources-board-failing-act-pfas-forever-chemicals/7093865001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/18/tony-evers-calls-out-wisconsin-natural-resources-board-failing-act-pfas-forever-chemicals/7093865001/ |
UWM is set to hire Bart Lundy of Division II Queens University as its men's basketball coach
UW-Milwaukee was looking for head-coaching experience, energy and familiarity with the city and region in its new men's basketball coach.
Bart Lundy checked all those boxes, and sources familiar with the search confirmed Friday he will be hired to replace Pat Baldwin.
UWM didn't immediately announce the hiring. But once it becomes official, Lundy will become the 23rd coach in program history.
Lundy, 50, comes to UWM after a nine-season stint as coach at Queens University in Charlotte, where he compiled a record of 333-103 made seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II tournament.
More:UW-Milwaukee turns page on Pat Baldwin, now must make the correct call on his replacement
Queens finished 30-4 this season, its third consecutive 30-win season under Lundy.
From 2009-12, Lundy served as director of basketball operations at Marquette under then-coach Buzz Williams.
He then spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant at North Texas.
Prior to his time at MU, Lundy was head coach at High Point, compiling a 96-87 record there from 2003-09. At 31 years old at the time of his hiring, he was the second-youngest Division I head coach in the country.
The highlight there was a 19-11 campaign in his first year, a performance that earned him the 2004 NCAA Division I rookie head coach of the year award.
Lundy's first head-coaching job also came at Queens; he was 115-41 from 1998-2003 before leaving for the job at High Point.
He was in Milwaukee earlier this week to interview for the job, with Division II Southwest Missouri State head coach Ben McCollum and Southern Indiana head coach Stan Gouard also believed to be finalists.
Lundy will have his work cut out for him, as the Panthers haven't posted a winning season since 2015-16, three coaches ago. UWM went 57-92 overall and 34-59 in Horizon League play in five seasons under Baldwin.
There will also be the business of remaking a roster which will be without many of its top players due to graduation and transfer.
Patrick Baldwin Jr., meanwhile, is likely to explore his NBA options and wouldn't have been expected to return in any event after his father's ouster as coach.
There also is the issue of flagging fan support, with UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena mostly empty for games. Lundy's ability to engage supporters as well as a largely apathetic student body will also be crucial to his long-term success.
Athletic director Amanda Braun listed the primary qualifications she and the search committee were looking for as the process began.
“Like everyone else, you want it all – you want somebody that cares about their student-athletes,” she told the Journal Sentinel. “From an academics and life-development perspective and that sort of thing. We also want someone that’s excited about being on a college campus and working for something bigger than themselves than just the program and the team.
“Then from the basketball standpoint, I think the program deserves and will attract some folks with real success as coaches. So, we’ll key in on that. A lot of the other things that you consider are have they recruited in our region? Are they familiar with mid-major-type conferences? Do they understand what that means, and the benefits and challenges that come along with that?”
Having already spent three years in Milwaukee during his time at MU, Lundy will most certainly look to land one or more assistants with ties to the area in order to establish a recruiting base.
A native of Galax, Virginia, Lundy played college basketball at North Carolina-Pembroke and Lenoir-Rhyne. He began his coaching career at Winthrop, where he also earned a master of arts degree in 1998.
Lundy is married to Suzanne and the couple has five children: Grace, Ian, Kellen, Alec and Liam. | 2022-03-18T23:59:32Z | www.jsonline.com | UW-Milwaukee to hire Bart Lundy as Panthers men's basketball coach | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uwm/2022/03/18/uw-milwaukee-hire-bart-lundy-panthers-mens-basketball-coach/7098164001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uwm/2022/03/18/uw-milwaukee-hire-bart-lundy-panthers-mens-basketball-coach/7098164001/ |
Milwaukee mayoral debate draws candidates out on cops in schools, City Attorney's Office and 2020 election
A Friday night mayoral debate in Milwaukee drew the candidates out on police in schools, tumult in the City Attorney's Office and the ongoing state inquiry into the 2020 presidential election.
Milwaukee Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson and former south side Ald. Bob Donovan debated on WISN 12, where anchor and "UpFront" host Adrienne Pedersen moderated.
The election is April 5. The candidates are vying to fill the remaining two years on the term left open by the departure of Mayor Tom Barrett, who resigned late last year to become U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.
Here's what the candidates had to say:
On police in Milwaukee Public schools
Donovan said he would want to see Milwaukee police return to school buildings while Johnson said he'd favor having officers outside when schools are letting out.
In response to protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in June 2020 the MPS board voted unanimously to stop paying Milwaukee police officers to patrol outside its buildings and events.
MPS ended the practice of posting school resource officers inside buildings in 2016 in response to complaints about police unnecessarily citing and arresting students in situations that could have been handled as school disciplinary matters.
Donovan said he would want to see police return to Milwaukee Public Schools — and that they should never have been removed in the first place.
"We need those resource officers back in our schools, connecting with our kids," Donovan said.
He said he'd like to bring back the STOP program — short for Students Talking it Over with Police — and called it a way for students to connect with officers in a positive situation.
Johnson, too, called the STOP program "pretty incredible" but said police did not necessarily need to be in school buildings.
(The program was ended following complaints that the content was inappropriate and may have cultivated fear of police, according to a 2016 Journal Sentinel report.)
"They don't need to be watching over kids while they're eating their lunch. They don't need to be posted up at their locker when they're getting their books," Johnson said.
He did, however, say he thought it would be useful to have a police presence outside, on school grounds at the end of the day because that's "when things typically start going off with kids."
Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer
Both candidates raised concerns about the exodus of staff in the City Attorney's Office since City Attorney Tearman Spencer was elected two years ago.
Spencer has been accused of harassing female staffers in his office (he denies wrongdoing); overseen an exodus of staff and other issues that he has blamed on his predecessor Grant Langley, media coverage and pay; and drawn the ire of religious and community leaders over his hiring of an attorney who worked for anti-Islamic "hate groups." (That attorney was recently fired.)
Donovan said he had met with Spencer and called him a "nice gentleman." But, he said, allegations against Spencer should concern all citizens and the council should consider putting his job up for a vote "if these allegations are proven."
Under state law, three-quarters of the Common Council, or 12 members, could remove Spencer for "cause," which includes "inefficiency, neglect of duty, official misconduct or malfeasance in office."
"We have an obligation to ensure that our employees are working in the appropriate environments and that our staff, that our department heads are doing everything, absolutely everything, above board," Donovan said.
Johnson called the issues in Spencer's office "immensely troubling," saying the loss of experienced attorneys "puts the city in a precarious position."
He said he wanted to see "additional investigations" but said city voters would be the ultimate "antidote."
The next election for city attorney is in 2024.
The 2020 presidential election
Pedersen noted the inquiry into the 2020 presidential election by former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, asking the candidates whether the candidates believed the city had a "free and fair election."
Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by about 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. Recounts and court rulings have confirmed his victory. A nonpartisan legislative audit and a study by a conservative group found no evidence of appreciable fraud.
Donovan said he had concerns "about all of the accusations that have come forward" while Johnson slammed Donovan for his answer and said the city's election was fair.
It was an issue on which the candidates sparred.
Donovan said the city has an obligation "to ensure that everything, absolutely everything, is above board, beyond reproach and yet it seems for the last many years now every election that we've held there have been questions that arise."
"That needs to be addressed", he said.
Johnson called Donovan's answer "troubling."
"He won't even say if we had a fair and transparent election in Milwaukee," Johnson said. "That's troubling to me. That's troubling to me as the mayor of the city right now and as a person who lives, resides and is raising kids in a majority-minority city."
He said the city unequivocally had a fair election.
Donovan hit back that in the last election "there seemed to be legitimate concerns raised by a lot of different people. If that hadn't occurred, there wouldn't be Gableman and the investigation going on."
He said there seem to be "some serious things" in Gableman's report, though he said he was not necessarily raising concerns about Milwaukee's election.
Both said they would keep Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg in her position. | 2022-03-19T04:11:28Z | www.jsonline.com | Milwaukee mayoral debate on cops in schools, 2020 Wisconsin election | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/18/milwaukee-mayoral-debate-cops-schools-2020-wisconsin-election/7100242001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/03/18/milwaukee-mayoral-debate-cops-schools-2020-wisconsin-election/7100242001/ |
Racine native Tyrese Hunter hits a series of big threes, lifts Iowa State into second round of tournament
The Wisconsin Badgers weren't the only ones finding success in their home state.
Racine St. Catherine's alumnus Tyrese Hunter had a career-high 23 points and played the hero as his 11th-seeded Iowa State team held off sixth-seeded LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum on Friday, 59-54.
Hunter also finished with five steals, three assists and three rebounds, and he made 7 of 11 shots from behind the arc, often engaging with the Iowa State crowd after a make.
Next up for the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and his fellow Cyclones: Wisconsin, which reached the second round with its 67-60 late-hour win over Colgate.
Hunter played 34 minutes, piloting the Cyclones with four critical three-pointers in the second half. None was bigger than his deep basket with 19.3 seconds on the clock, with the shot clock winding down and his team nursing a 56-54 lead.
More:Your guide to Wisconsinites in the NCAA basketball tournament
"It's March Madness," Hunter said after his NCAA Tournament debut. "Everybody's got one goal and you've got to go out there and play hard. That's just me playing myself. People say, 'freshman this, freshman that,' but at the end of the day I'm a basketball player that's out there with other basketball players that's going out there to compete and win. So I just go out there and do my thing."
The Cyclones are a team with multiple Wisconsin connections, including Milwaukee native head coach T.J. Otzelberger and his top assistant, J.R. Blount. They'll stay in Milwaukee for a Sunday assignment against UW.
"He's put a lot into that shot, and for it to show up tonight on the big stage at home for him is really special," Otzelberger said of Hunter. "We wanted the ball in his hands late, he stepped up and made big shots ... I'm so excited to coach a player like that who steps up in the big moment."
Hunter, who wasn't recruited by Wisconsin, said he was looking into the ISU cheering section at his family after his makes, particularly searching for his grandmother.
"My whole family's here, and it felt good just trying to go out there and get the win," Hunter said. "It just happened. Before a game, I'm pretty sure every player has a picture in their head of what they want the game to look like. But I just let the game come to me and I got the shots presented to me and I just let them fly."
Izaiah Brockington had 19 points for Iowa State, which led by 12 in the first half and 10 in the second half but had to continually fight off LSU, a team playing without its recently fired head coach, Will Wade, and instead with interim coach Kevin Nickelberry.
"He was one of the most excited guys in (the locker room) before the game started," Brockington said of Hunter. "He's been like that all year, no matter the implications of the game, no matter how big the game is, he's ready to go out there, ready to be aggressive ... he doesn't let the moment get too big for him. He's always poised, always ready to make a big play when we need it."
Hunter's deep triple with 1:41 to go gave his team a 54-50 lead, and it came at a time when the Cyclones were scratching for any offense at all and had seen their lead – as robust as 10 points in the second half – dip to one point.
LSU leading scorer Tari Eason, saddled with foul trouble for much of the night, muscled in a layup through traffic with 1:17 to go, making it 54-52. Brockington then coaxed in two free throws with 1:00 on the clock, good for a 56-52 edge, before Mwani Wilkinson answered on the other end for LSU, taking a great pass from point guard Xavier Pinson, and it was 56-54 with 47.8 to play.
That set up yet another confident take from Hunter, one that got a hearty cheer from the Milwaukee crowd.
"I looked at (the clock) the whole possession," Hunter said. "I was trying to make sure I managed the whole possession. So I really was trying to get it to (Brockington), but it came into my hands, so I shot the ball confidently."
Added Otzelberger, "We put the ball in his hands to start the season and we trusted him because of his character and work habits. (Players) are easy to follow when he works like he works."
Brockington stole away the ball on LSU's next possession, giving the Cyclones the relief of victory. | 2022-03-19T06:08:50Z | www.jsonline.com | Racine native Tyrese Hunter leads Iowa State to second round | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/18/racine-native-tyrese-hunter-leads-iowa-state-second-round/7089007001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/18/racine-native-tyrese-hunter-leads-iowa-state-second-round/7089007001/ |
Wisconsin 67, Colgate 60: Badgers turn the heat on defense and Johnny Davis closes with UW's lasts 14 points
Sure, No. 14 Colgate made it to Fiserv Forum Friday night.
Davis scored UW's final 14 points and finished with a game-high 25 and the Badgers held Colgate to two field goals and a total of eight points over the final 10 minutes 39 seconds to rally for a 67-60 victory in front of a raucous crowd.
"Colgate's a terrific team," UW coach Greg Gard said. "Saw that from watching all the film that we were able to look at through the week. Credit to our guys, I thought defensively the middle part of the second half on we got really good.
"Obviously made plays when we needed to, took care of the ball, which was huge...able to score in the paint, and then able to get them off the three-point line and do a better job of covering up some of their looks.
The Badgers (25-7) advance to face No. 11 Iowa State (21-12) at 5:10 p.m. Sunday. The game is to be on TNT.
BOX SCORE: Wisconsin 67, Colgate 60
RELATED: Racine native Tyrese Hunter leads Iowa State to second round
Freshman guard Tyrese Hunter, a graduate of Racine St. Catherine’s High School, hit 7 of 11 three-pointers and finished with 23 points in the Cyclones’ 59-54 victory over No. 11 LSU earlier Friday. Former Penn State standout Izaiah Brockington added 19 points for the Cyclones.
By the time UW took the Fiserv Forum court, No. 2 Kentucky, two fifth-seeded teams (Iowa and Connecticut) and No. 6 Alabama had been ousted from the tournament.
"As far as upsets go, it's March Madness," junior forward Tyler Wahl said. "Nothing's promised after this one game. Everyone's fighting for 40 more minutes."
The Badgers came out cold, trailed by seven points early and trailed for a combined 19:59 overall. They took the lead for good, 53-52, with 9:09 left on a banked three-pointer by Steven Crowl. Crowl finished 1 of 3 from three-point range and contributed five points and five rebounds.
"That was a big shot by Steve," said Davis, who added eight rebounds.
UW then relied on defense and Davis, who hit just 3 of 11 shots in the first half but hit 5 of 9 shots after halftime.
Wahl, who contributed 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block, kept the ball alive in the lane after Crowl missed a three-pointer.
Davis corralled the loose ball, scored and was fouled. He hit the free throw for a 56-52 lead with 5:59 left.
"He's done that all year in terms of key rebounds at big times," Gard said of Wahl, who scored 11 points in the second half. "I thought he could have finished a little better in the paint, but we kept trying to play through him as much as we could just because of his versatility at passing and the pressure it puts on the defense.
"Obviously he's got a nose for the ball and he's hungry and he understands how important resetting those possessions when he does get those offensive rebounds are."
Davis then scored on back-to-back possessions and added two free throws, each time pushing UW's lead to six points.
When he buried a three-pointer after a Colgate turnover, UW's lead was 65-56 with 1:27 left.
The Raiders were finished.
Why was Davis, who struggled to score early, so confident late in the game?
"My teammates and coaches," he said. "Towards the end of the game, coach was calling plays for me and my teammates told me to keep shooting the ball."
Chucky Hepburn (8.2 ppg) added eight points, six rebounds and five assists and Brad Davison finished with four points and four assists.
Chris Vogt (six points, two rebounds) and Ben Carlson (four points, three rebounds) came off the bench to spark UW.
After Colgate took a 52-48 lead on two free throws by Jeff Woodward with 10:40 left, UW held the Raiders to 2-for-11 shooting and forced five turnovers.
"I think the first and most important thing is credit to Wisconsin," Colgate coach Matt Langel said. "They played a lot of close games and I think we saw the result of all those close games tonight...
"I think Wisconsin amped up their defensive intensity a little bit more."
Colgate entered the tournament No. 2 nationally in three-point accuracy (40.3%) and No. 7 in three-pointers made per game (9.9). The Raiders shot at least 40.0% from three-point range in 20 of 34 games, including six of at least 50.0%.
The Raiders hit just 4 of 12 attempts in the opening half but hit 6 of 10 attempts after halftime to finish 10 of 22.
Senior guard Nelly Cummings led Colgate with 20 points, but only six after halftime. Senior guard Tucker Richardson (15 points) hit 4 three-pointers in the second half to keep UW from taking control until later and finished 5 of 10 overall from three-point range.
"We were really confident the whole game," Cummings said. "But some shots didn't fall down the stretch and they made some shots, so the result is what it is."
The result was this: UW advanced to the second round and Colgate saw its winning streak end at 15 games.
Another tournament upset was averted thanks to UW's defense and Davis' ability to close.
"I would say he hates losing more than he likes winning," Gard said. "I've always said he's very competitive and that's probably No. 1 on his skill set.
"I thought he got going pretty good in the second half there and fortunately took good shots, got to the foul line. He does what great players do, when the lights get bright, they step up." | 2022-03-19T06:08:56Z | www.jsonline.com | Wisconsin Badgers, Johnny Davis defeat Colgate in NCAA Tournament | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/19/wisconsin-badgers-able-brush-aside-upset-minded-colgate/7088961001/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/03/19/wisconsin-badgers-able-brush-aside-upset-minded-colgate/7088961001/ |
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