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The latest injury setback for Trevor Rosenthal has put his season is "in jeopardy," according to Brewers manager Craig Counsell.
Rosenthal injured his teres major – a small muscle that runs along the lateral border of the scapula – during a rehab appearance earlier this week. There is a strong possibility he is unable to return before the end of the regular season.
"It's essentially the same injury that Freddy Peralta had, so it puts the regular season in jeopardy," Counsell said. "I think there’s still a possibility in the regular season, but [it] doesn’t look great. We’ll know [and] gather more information in the next couple of days how we’re doing here and what kind of direction Trevor wants to take this.”
The Peralta injury Counsell referenced sidelined him for a little over two months, and there are just 37 games remaining in the regular season following Saturday's contest.
The news means that Rosenthal may possibly not throw a pitch for the Brewers this season after being acquired at the trade deadline.
Rosenthal hadn't thrown a pitch in the major leagues since 2020 as he battled back from thoracic outlet surgery, then a hamstring strain suffered during a throwing showcase in June.
"I think it's frustrating for Trevor," Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. "It's certainly frustrating for us but it's frustrating for Trevor because he's been working exceptionally hard to get back here. He was close. The ball was coming out really good but clearly now we've had a setback."
The Brewers assumed plenty of risk when trading for Rosenthal – whom they could have signed to a free agent deal weeks before sending prospect Tristan Peters to the Giants for him – considering his lengthy injury history. They hoped to get at least a solid month out of him this season as he returned from the hamstring issue, but now may be left with nothing from the regular season.
"Any time you trade for a player either with an injury history or who's presently currently on the IL, you're obviously assuming some risk but this is a completely new injury, something he had not felt at all through his rehab progression," Stearns said. "It just popped up on his last rehab outing."
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2022-08-28T01:18:01Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Trevor Rosenthal's season is 'in jeopardy' after latest injury setback
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/27/trevor-rosenthals-season-in-jeopardy-after-latest-injury-setback/7921945001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/27/trevor-rosenthals-season-in-jeopardy-after-latest-injury-setback/7921945001/
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Polonez, the Milwaukee area's only remaining Polish restaurant, will close Sept. 25, the restaurant announced on Facebook.
The owners of the restaurant, Aleksandra and George Burzynski, will be retiring, according to the post. Their son, Peter, has been helping them with the restaurant.
The restaurant, 4016 S. Packard Ave. in St. Francis, will continue with its Sunday buffet until closing.
Starting Sept. 1, the restaurant will serve a limited menu buffet-style for those dining in or for takeout. Customers are asked to call ahead for particularly large to-go orders.
The restaurant's new hours are 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, with the last seating at 7:45 p.m.
The restaurant opened in 1983, serving classics of Polish cuisines such as bigos (hunter's stew), czarnina (duck-blood soup), dill pickle soup, pierogi and more. The Burzynskis had arrived from Poland in 1980.
Before opening in St. Francis in 2002, Polonez operated at 2316 S. 6th St., near St. Josaphat's Basilica and the heart of Milwaukee's old Polish neighborhood.
More will be posted as this story develops.
More:Breakshots/Huba-Huba sold, closing in Oconomowoc
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2022-08-28T17:20:39Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Polonez, Milwaukee's only Polish restaurant, will close late September
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/08/28/polonez-milwaukees-only-polish-restaurant-close-late-september/7925126001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/08/28/polonez-milwaukees-only-polish-restaurant-close-late-september/7925126001/
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Six-year-old girl drowns at Caledonia resort's Bear Paw Beach; police investigating
A 6-year-old girl drowned Saturday night at Caledonia's Bear Paw Beach, according to the Caledonia Police Department.
Bear Paw is a sister venue to Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort.
The police department and the Caledonia Fire Department were called to Bear Paw Beach, 10006 7 Mile Road, for a "possible drowning" shortly before 5:50 p.m. Saturday, Deputy Chief of Police Shawn Engleman said in a news release.
"Upon arrival, it was discovered that a 6-year-old female had been under water for an undetermined amount of time," the news release said.
Fire department personnel started lifesaving efforts and then took the girl to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, the news release said.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the drowning.
"Please keep everyone affected by this tragic incident in your thoughts and prayers," Engleman said in the news release.
Bear Paw Beach is a popular attraction in Racine County that features a 3-acre manmade lake with a beach and cabanas, a jumping pillow, playground, laser tag, a Northern Lights Drone Show and live music, according to its website. It's also home to Adventure Island, an inflatable waterpark and obstacle course.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of the victim and to all those affected by this tragic event," Bear Paw Beach said in an emailed statement. "The owners of Bear Paw Beach are cooperating with local authorities in an attempt to determine what caused the accident."
The business thanked the fire and police departments for their "fast and professional response and actions."
Bear Paw's current focus is to provide time and resources to its employees who were affected by the incident, according to the statement.
The business posted on Facebook that the beach and Adventure Island would be closed Sunday "due to staffing shortages." Both are to reopen Monday, the post said.
According to Bear Paw's website, there are no lifeguards on duty, and attendants are for the Adventure Island obstacle course.
More:Witness to Kilbourn Avenue Bridge death recalls horror of fall: 'This should not have happened'
More:Racine County man who fraudulently sought absentee ballots to prove fraud says he has been subpoenaed
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2022-08-28T17:20:45Z
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www.jsonline.com
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6-year-old girl dies after drowning at Caledonia's Bear Paw Beach
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/08/28/6-year-old-girl-dies-after-drowning-caledonia-bear-paw-beach/7924889001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/08/28/6-year-old-girl-dies-after-drowning-caledonia-bear-paw-beach/7924889001/
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On Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for a large portion of southern Wisconsin until Sunday night. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings have popped up since.
The watch — which expires at 7 p.m. — spans from Sheboygan to Wisconsin Dells and south of that into northern Illinois, said Paul Collar, meteorologist for the NWS in Sullivan. It also includes areas around Green Lake and Fond du Lac.
Around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Collar said the NWS was currently watching the storms moving into northwest Illinois and east central Iowa.
"That's the activity that is lifting to the north/northeast," he said. "We're going to be keeping a close eye on that throughout the afternoon."
The severe thunderstorms could include winds in excess of 58 miles per hour and hail that's at least 1 inch in diameter, Collar said. There's also a "slight" tornado risk.
A severe thunderstorm watch means "conditions are favorable" for the development of severe thunderstorms, he explained. A severe thunderstorm warning means one has been observed by radar or reported by a spotter.
Collar recommends that people within the watch area keep up with where the storms are located and have a plan of where to go for shelter if severe weather approaches and a warning is issued.
Warnings that have been issued
Eastern Green, Rock and southeastern Dane counties are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 4 p.m., according to a Severe Weather Statement from the NWS.
Locations impacted include: Madison, Janesville, Beloit, Sun Prairie, Fitchburg, Stoughton, Verona, Oregon, McFarland, Monona, Milton, Edgerton, Evansville, Marshall, Brodhead, Cottage Grove, Belleville, Deerfield, Shorewood Hills and Cambridge.
Damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour and nickel-sized hail could occur.
At 3:20 p.m., severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Madison to near Stoughton to near Janesville, moving northeast at 50 miles per hour.
Walworth County, eastern Rock and Jefferson counties are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 4:15 p.m., a Severe Weather Statement said.
Locations impacted include: Janesville, Watertown, Whitewater, Fort Atkinson, Elkhorn, Delavan, Jefferson, Lake Geneva, Lake Mills, Milton, East Troy, Waterloo, Williams Bay, Walworth, Johnson Creek, Clinton, Palmyra, Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Sharon and Darien.
Just before 3:30 p.m., severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from McFarland to near South Beloit, moving northeast at 45 miles per hour.
People in the warning areas should move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building, the Severe Weather Statement said.
There's another chance for thunderstorms in far southeast Wisconsin Monday, but it's looking like those will be largely south in Illinois and Indiana, Collar said. Conditions for much of the rest of the week appear "really pleasant."
Wisconsin weather radar
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2022-08-28T21:29:37Z
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www.jsonline.com
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NWS issues severe thunderstorm watch, warnings in southern Wisconsin
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/weather/2022/08/28/large-portion-southern-wisconsin-under-severe-thunderstorm-watch/7925690001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/weather/2022/08/28/large-portion-southern-wisconsin-under-severe-thunderstorm-watch/7925690001/
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WEST ALLIS – At 18, Sammy Smith is a little more than a century younger than the Milwaukee Mile.
His detailed knowledge of the history of the place goes back one year, give or take a couple of days.
But that was enough Sunday. Smith got the gist.
“We were able to run here last year and weren’t able to win, so I’m glad to be able to come back here and be able to win,” Smith said after winning the ARCA Menards Series Sprecher 150.
“It’s pretty cool to win here because it’s a pretty historical place. I think it’s the oldest track in America. So it’s cool to win here, and it was a fun race.”
A Toyota development driver from Johnston, Iowa, Smith may end up following the tracks of the 2021 Milwaukee ARCA winner, Ty Gibbs, to the NASCAR Xfinity Series as soon as next season. Although his path isn’t set yet – at least not publicly – Smith has raced part-time in that series, finishing as high as third last weekend on the Watkins Glen International road course and crashing out of his Daytona International Speedway debut on Friday night.
“This,” he said, “was definitely better than that.”
Smith, the reigning ARCA East champion, is competing for that title again and running only a partial schedule on the national level with Kyle Busch Motorsports. With his third national victory of the season, he joined a tie with Taylor Gray and Brandon Jones, also part-timers, and series regular Nick Sanchez for the most.
Smith’s performance wasn’t as dominant as Gibbs’ was a year ago, when the winner led every lap from the pole. But in a race Sunday that included scheduled pit stops just after 50 and 100 laps, Smith dominated the first segment, fell behind Taylor Gray midrace and then retook the lead at the restart for the run to the checkered flag.
“The first segment we were fairly good and the second segment we got off and they made good changes that last segment and I was able to pull away,” Smith said matter-of-factly.
Smith, who finished fifth last year, won by 3.3 seconds.
“I feel like I was just managing my gap and trying to keep myself in a safe position so he wasn’t on me coming to the checkered flag,” Smith said. “I think we all know how that would probably end. But we were able to just pull away and not worry about it.”
National series contenders finished in the next three positions, Daniel Dye, Rajah Caruth and Sanchez, tightening up their three-way fight for the championship through 15 of 20 races. None of them had anything for the leaders, though.
Matthew Gould, making his series debut, finished 10th. Toni Breidinger finished 12th, best among the series-record six women in the field.
Big Eight Late Models
The history of the Mile – or his personal history with the track – may have meant more to Jeremy Miller, who won the Badgerland 38 moments before ARCA driver introductions began.
The 42-year-old from Rockford, Illinois, picked up his third Big Eight victory at the Mile and fifth overall, racing through the field from 15th and pulling away.
“It’s like our little Daytona for short-track racing,” Miller said. “You get to come here, it’s just a lot of fun and you prepare for a week or two before you come here just to get the car all braced up. It’s kind of a big deal for us.”
The reward comes largely in the form of prestige.
“It doesn’t really pay much more,” Miller said. “If we were looking at money, we’d have quit this a long time ago.”
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2022-08-29T01:17:23Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Toyota NASCAR prospect Sammy Smith wins Milwaukee Mile ARCA race
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/motor/2022/08/28/toyota-nascar-prospect-sammy-smith-wins-milwaukee-mile-arca-race/7898487001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/motor/2022/08/28/toyota-nascar-prospect-sammy-smith-wins-milwaukee-mile-arca-race/7898487001/
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A court ruling which cleared the way for demolishing Milwaukee's historic Columbia Hospital is being appealed.
That new court filing by the City of Milwaukee could halt University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from continuing with demolition pending the appeal's outcome.
The city named UW System's Board of Regents as the defendant in the case, which is now before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
UWM wants to tear down the building, 3321 N. Maryland Ave., because it's costly to renovate and maintain.
That commission voted to designate the former hospital as historic — which was approved by the Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson in April.
With historic designation, any exterior changes, including demolition, need commission approval. Commission rulings can be appealed to the council.
But Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Kevin Martens in July dismissed a lawsuit filed by the city which sought an injunction preventing the demolition.
Demolition work resumed in July, and is to be completed by February, said Michelle Johnson, UWM's chief marketing officer. The site would then be used as green space.
Johnson declined to comment on the city's appeal, saying she couldn't discuss pending litigation. A visit to the building site by a Journal Sentinel reporter found that dozens of windows have been removed.
The appeal could bring a ruling on whether the city's historic preservation ordinance applies to the UW System.
It also might draw a judge's order halting demolition until the Court of Appeals rules.
The building, constructed in 1919, has remained largely vacant for years, with no developers showing any interest in it, according to UW System officials.
The Columbia building exemplifies "a new and modern type of hospital that was directed by science and research," according to a Historic Preservation Commission report.
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2022-08-29T10:32:47Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Ruling allowing historic Columbia Hospital demolition is appealed
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/08/29/ruling-allowing-historic-columbia-hospital-demolition-appealed/7920196001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/08/29/ruling-allowing-historic-columbia-hospital-demolition-appealed/7920196001/
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Milwaukee's well-known Koz's Mini Bowl went up for sale Thursday after 44 years of business with the Kosakoski family.
"I've been doing this for 20 years and I'm ready for some peace and quiet in my life," Kosakoski said.
He also said that he has had a hard time running the business after breaking both of his legs when he was hit by a car in 2020 outside the business.
More:Koz's Mini Bowl owner had both legs broken in hit-and-run. Friends are raising money while the bar stays closed
"I'm just ready for the next chapter of my life," he said. "It's a lot of emotions. We've built a legend here in Milwaukee. I just hope it continues as Koz's, that's my dream."
The longtime mini bowling alley gained national recognition as it made lists lists like Thrillist's "Top Dive Bars" in 2016.
More:9 unique bars to try in Milwaukee, from a German beer hall to Northwoods-themed bars
Koz's Mini Bowl, at 2078 S. Seventh St., is listed at $499,000, according to its listing agent Patrick Simonis.
"It's a Milwaukee institution," Simonis said. "Ideally, we want to find a buyer who wants the name, the business and the building."
He said that it is being sold as is, with its taxidermy (including a lion) and its iconic four 16-foot mini bowling lanes that were installed in 1947, which makes it the longest continually running mini bowling, or "mini duckpin bowling," lanes in Wisconsin.
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2022-08-29T12:49:55Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee's Koz's Mini Bowl up for sale after 44 years of business
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2022/08/29/milwaukees-kozs-mini-bowl-up-sale-after-44-years-business/7906621001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2022/08/29/milwaukees-kozs-mini-bowl-up-sale-after-44-years-business/7906621001/
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New Berlin-based Olympian Chellsie Memmel's comeback inspires many adults to return to gymnastics
Growing up, 33-year-old Annie Lugo-Walsh always wanted to take gymnastics lessons.
"I always took the gymnastics unit really seriously in P.E. class," she recalled. "I remember we got to choreograph a (balance beam) routine, and you got extra points if you learned how to do a cartwheel off of it. I worked super hard at that."
Despite Lugo-Walsh's passion for the sport, she was never able to work up the courage to ask her parents to sign her up for gymnastics.
By the time she reached adulthood, Lugo-Walsh accepted that her dream would likely never come true. After all, gymnastics is notoriously reserved for children and teens. The average age of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team at the last Olympics was 20, and many gyms do not even offer lessons for athletes 18 and over.
Lugo-Walsh said the idea of taking up gymnastics in her 30s — and potentially being the only adult in the gym — made her feel awkward.
Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation's temporary transition to online schooling drastically changed Lugo-Walsh's life as a high school Spanish teacher, she began searching for things that would bring her joy.
"I realized gymnastics is something I've always wanted to do," she said. "Why was I not doing it?"
After calling every gymnastics gym she could think of in the Chicago suburbs where she lives, she signed up for private tumbling lessons in May 2021 at the only nearby gym that was willing to accommodate an adult.
Since then, she's learned to do front flips, back flips and the "perfect cartwheel."
"It's been so good for my mental health, and I get so excited to go to the gym every week," she said. "There's this constant feeling of pride because I made this happen, something I always wanted to do."
In late June, Lugo-Walsh attended Olympic medalist Chellsie Memmel's first adult gymnastics camp at M&M Gymnastics, the New Berlin gym owned by the Memmel family. In doing so, Lugo-Walsh met 70 other adults ranging from beginners to former elite gymnasts performing high-level Yurchenko vaults.
More than that, she became part of a burgeoning worldwide adult gymnastics community.
Coach John Wamser, who assisted Memmel at the camp, said participants spanned in age from recent high school graduates to athletes in their 50s.
Divided into groups based on skill level and experience, campers rotated between four event stations — vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor — and a dance station. The agenda also included strength and conditioning exercises.
"The environment was incredibly positive, so inspiring," said Memmel, the 2005 World Champion and 2008 Olympic medalist. "Everybody wanted to learn. Everybody was encouraging everybody else, no matter the age, no matter the level."
Memmel said it was one of the most amazing weekends she's experienced in gymnastics.
"It was so cool to see ... that many adults who are so passionate about (gymnastics)," said 39-year-old Jackson resident Alison Lueck, another camp participant. "I didn't even realize so many adults had an interest in it. But after going to that camp, I'm pretty amazed."
Memmel's comeback
Since 2020, 34-year-old Memmel has attracted new attention for practicing and competing in elite-level gymnastics long past the traditional age of under 25.
After a highly successful career that boasted six World Championship medals, selection as an alternate on the 2004 Olympic team and a team silver medal at the 2008 Olympics, Memmel announced her then-retirement from gymnastics in 2012 at age 24.
She got married in 2013 and had two children, Dashel and Audrielle, in 2015 and 2017.
When the pandemic hit, Memmel returned to more structured gymnastics training after "testing how her body would feel" doing high-level gymnastics skills nearly a decade after retirement.
Memmel began posting videos of her training on social media under the hashtag #chellsiesadultgymnasticsjourney, as well as "Chellsie Challenge" videos, where she demonstrates advanced strength and balance workouts.
Memmel's workouts and videos have become extremely popular, garnering her over 130,000 Instagram followers and 35,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Her accomplishments in the gym have been even more impressive. Memmel returned to elite competition at the 2021 U.S. Classic in May. At 32, she was more than a decade older than fellow competitors like Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles.
More:She's 32, a mother and has been out of competitive gymnastics for nine years. Here's why Chellsie Memmel has her sights on another Olympics.
That June, Memmel competed in the 2021 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships.
Gina Paulhus — who runs adult-gymnastics.com and the 10,000-plus-person Just Like Fine Wine Adult Gymnastics Facebook group — said she's noticed Memmel's comeback has increased interest and involvement in adult gymnastics throughout the U.S. and the world.
But despite becoming the face of the growing adult gymnastics community, Memmel said she had no idea such a community even existed until very recently.
"It was honestly amazing and a little bit overwhelming," the Olympian said. "I didn't realize that I could have an impact like that just simply by sharing my story and doing what I love."
Memmel said knowing she could impact so many people so positively has been a "very humbling experience" and "the biggest bonus" to result from her comeback.
She began holding an adult gymnastics and fitness class at M&M and noticed people from all over the world reaching out to her on social media, asking if she'd host an adult camp.
"I wanted to do something since I feel like I'm a big voice in the adult gymnastics community now,” she said.
In planning for this summer's camp, Memmel said her goal was for about 40 gymnasts to sign up. Within 24 hours, 73 signed up. The sign-up period even produced a waitlist of 80 people, leading Memmel to schedule another camp for Aug. 12-14, which also filled up.
Memmel said she hopes to host the camp for years to come. In January, she and her family will host an AAU adult competition division for the first time at their annual M&M Challenge gymnastics meet.
It wasn't always a children's sport
The recent popularity of adult gymnastics comes as less of a surprise to Coach Wamser, who, in his 55-year coaching career, has coached adults for at least 30 years.
"Historically, gymnastics was done by adults," he said.
When German and Swiss immigrants came to America in the mid-1800s, they brought gymnastics with them. Adults in those countries used the sport for fitness and military training, Wamser explained.
"Most German immigrant communities had a Turnverein, and a Turnverein was a sports club where the primary activity was gymnastics," Wamser said. "They were in little towns all over the place, and there were probably 50 or 60 in Wisconsin."
Some Turnvereins evolved into existing American Turners societies like Milwaukee Turners on Vel Phillips Ave., which was established by German immigrants in 1853.
Every four years or so since the 1860s, Turnvereins throughout Europe and the U.S. held Turnfest, a gymnastics competition and festival for adults.
In 1893, Milwaukee held Turnfest. That competition attracted more than 8,000 adult gymnasts from across the world, Wamser said.
Turnfest continues to this day, and athletes Wamser has coached at Milwaukee Turners and Wildcard Gymnastics in Brookfield have taken part.
One of those athletes is Dianne Dagelen.
At 74 years old, Dagelen still performs mill circles, dismounts and jumps from low to high bar on uneven bars.
"The bars are my favorite," she said. "I'm not as agile as I used to be, but I still just love to fly.”
Dagelen started gymnastics at Milwaukee Turners when she was 29. She's practiced almost every week since and said, surprisingly, her 40s and 50s were her best gymnastics years.
It wasn't until around the time Dagelen started gymnastics that it became widely regarded as a youth sport, Wamser said.
Through the 1960s, most elite gymnasts were over the age of legal adulthood, but things changed in the 1970s with the success of gymnasts like Olga Korbut and Nadia Comăneci.
At 17, Korbut, representing the Soviet Union, brought home three gold medals and one silver at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Four years later at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, 14-year-old Comăneci scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics history. The Romanian gymnast earned five medals at her Olympic debut.
In 1968, the median age of an Olympic gymnast was about 20. From 1976 to 2000, it was between 16 and 17.
As skills became more difficult and training more strenuous, gymnastics appeared to favor the young, and fitness-minded adults sought other pursuits.
Adult gymnastics today
"We were definitely the weird ones when we started," said Stephanie Minster, 38, a longtime adult gymnast and coach at Wildcard Gymnastics.
Wildcard has offered an adult gymnastics class and open gym since it opened 15 years ago. It's still one of less than five gyms statewide to offer adult programs.
When asked why other gyms don't offer such programs, Wildcard director Amy Grining said insurance issues have historically been a primary reason. Many gyms' insurance policies only cover athletes under 18 or 21 due to concerns that adults are more prone to injury.
Paulhus, who competed as an adult from 2006 to 2016, disagrees.
"Adults are actually more cautious because they have more to lose, and they are more fearful, generally, because they know how bad it can be to be hurt," she said. "I'm not convinced from the many, many adult teams I've seen that the injury rate is any higher."
Despite the concerns of some, Paulhus said the number of gyms offering adult programs nationwide is growing steadily. She maintains a list of adult class offerings on her website and said she's adding new gyms every month.
Additionally, more and more adults — including Wildcard athletes — are competing in gymnastics meets through the AAU Adult Division and other organizations like the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs.
Even elite gymnasts are now trending older. Last year, for the first time in more than half a century, the average Olympic gymnast was in her 20s.
More:Olympic hero Jim Thorpe's barnstorming life included one happy year playing baseball in Milwaukee
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2022-08-29T12:50:01Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Olympian Chellsie Memmel inspires adults to return to gymnastics
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2022/08/29/chellsie-memmel-adults-gymnastics-olympics-new-berlin/10117802002/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2022/08/29/chellsie-memmel-adults-gymnastics-olympics-new-berlin/10117802002/
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Most of the movie theaters in the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin will be taking part in National Cinema Day Sept. 3, with tickets for all movies showing that day costing just $3.
Most of the nation's movie theater chains, including Milwaukee-based Marcus Theatres and AMC Theatres, and all of the major movie studios are participating in National Cinema Day, announced Sunday by the nonprofit branch of the National Association of Theatre Owners. A number of independent theaters are also in the mix.
According to Variety, the stunt is the first nationwide moviegoing-discount offer of its kind.
Other Wisconsin theater operators participating include the Neighborhood Theater Group, which operates the Times Cinema and Avalon Theater in Milwaukee; Milwaukee Film's Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee; and Rogers Cinema, with five theaters in north central Wisconsin.
For a searchable list of participating theaters, go to nationalcinemaday.org. According to the website, the $3 tickets do not include applicable local taxes or third-party ticket fees.
More:Here's a guide to drive-in movie theaters in Wisconsin, and a look at the history of outdoor theaters here
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2022-08-29T16:55:33Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee movie theaters to offer $3 movie tickets Sept. 3
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/08/29/milwaukee-wisconsin-movie-theaters-offer-3-dollar-movie-tickets-national-cinema-day-sept-3/7928524001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/08/29/milwaukee-wisconsin-movie-theaters-offer-3-dollar-movie-tickets-national-cinema-day-sept-3/7928524001/
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A Milwaukee east side historic district could be expanded to include the site of a proposed apartment building — creating a potential barrier to that development.
The North Point South Historic District's proposed expansion would need approval from the Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson. Its initial public hearing could come this fall before the Historic Preservation Commission.
That historic district is roughly between East North Avenue, East Lafayette Place, North Terrace Avenue and North Summit Avenue.
The proposal would expand the district to include the west side of Summit Avenue south to East Woodstock Place.
The new boundaries also would include properties on East Ivanhoe Place, East Kenilworth Place and East Woodstock Place between Summit and Prospect avenues.
That would cover 18 homes, duplexes and apartment buildings constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Newer buildings that don't contribute to the historic district would be excluded.
Historic district property owners need preservation commission approval for any exterior work. Commission rulings can be appealed to the Common Council.
The expansion is being proposed by preservationist Dawn McCarthy, a vice president of Historic Water Tower Neighborhood Inc., a nonprofit neighborhood association.
The expansion should be done because buildings on Summit Avenue's west side have similar architectural character to those on the avenue's east side, according to the proposal.
The expansion would "show a more complete history of the neighborhood, demonstrating that the neighborhood, sitting on the bluff above Lake Michigan, included entrepreneurs and business owners, in addition to the extremely wealthy families of Milwaukee."
It would include two homes, at 2279 and 2275 N. Summit Ave., owned by Waunakee-based E North LLC.
E North, led by developer Brian Wagner, in 2021 applied for city demolition permits for the homes as well as a pair of neighboring two-story, four-unit apartment buildings on North Avenue.
Related:A court ruling which cleared the way for razing Milwaukee's historic Columbia Hospital is being appealed. That could stall demolition.
Related:Historic Milwaukee buildings are being converted into wedding venues — thanks in part to Chicago-area couples
The demolition plans for the homes were stalled when the preservation commission granted temporary historic designation for the homes.
A proposal to grant permanent historic designation was put on hold pending the proposed expansion of the North Point South Historic District to include other neighborhood properties as well as E North's two homes.
Wagner couldn't be reached Monday for information about his apartment proposal.
Those plans, revised last year, called for demolishing the two older homes and the apartment buildings to make way for a seven-story, 90-unit building.
The new building would have apartments ranging from studio units to two bedrooms, as well as a 103-stall parking garage.
Dozens of people attending a February 2020 meeting about the proposal raised concerns about its impact on traffic, especially on Summit Avenue.
Their concerns were similar to those being raised by people living near a proposed four-story, 55-unit apartment building in the 2600 block of North Hackett Avenue.
That development site, a vacant lot, is adjacent to the Downer Avenue Commercial Historic District.
It has been recommended for approval by both the Historic Preservation Commission and Plan Commission.
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2022-08-29T16:55:39Z
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East side historic district could expand to include development site
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/08/29/east-side-historic-district-could-expand-include-development-site/7929927001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/08/29/east-side-historic-district-could-expand-include-development-site/7929927001/
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Some of the names of Milwaukee's suburbs are straightforward.
Whitefish Bay: They used to catch a lot of whitefish in the bay there.
Port Washington: Named after George Washington. And yeah, it's a port.
But the story of how other communities surrounding Milwaukee got their names isn't always so intuitive.
So we did a bit of digging to find out about how the names came to be and turned up a few other facts along the way.
Before we get too far into this, no, it's not an exhaustive list. But it should give you something to chew on. Or trivia to try on your friends. Let's dive in.
Was there ever an East Milwaukee and North Milwaukee?
The answer is yes. While now there now are both a West Milwaukee and South Milwaukee, there used to be all four, said local historian, author and Journal Sentinel contributor John Gurda, who wrote about the Milwaukee suburbs' creation in his book, "The Making of Milwaukee."
South Milwaukee was incorporated first, in 1892, he said. Then came North Milwaukee in 1897, East Milwaukee in 1900 and West Milwaukee in 1906. East Milwaukee became Shorewood in 1917. North Milwaukee, an area near 35th and Villard, was annexed back by the city of Milwaukee in 1929.
What about West Allis? Was there an East Allis?
Speaking of compass points, what about West Allis? Is there an Allis? Or East Allis? If you're thinking it has something to do with Allis-Chalmers, you're on the right track.
The forerunner of Allis-Chalmers was the Edward P. Allis Co., Reliance Works, which was on First and Florida and was the biggest employer in Milwaukee for a time, Gurda said.
Allis outgrew that plant, merged with some other firms to form Allis-Chalmers, and bought land west of the city, around 68th and Greenfield, and that's where it built a huge new plant, much of which is still there.
"When it incorporated back in 1902, it was West Allis," Gurda said. "Allis was the location for the first plant, so obviously West Allis was the location for the second."
The 'Greens': Greendale and Greenfield
Do you ever get confused between the two "greens," Greenfield and Greendale? (We won't judge.) If so, it might help to know a bit of history.
Greendale is one of three government-sponsored "greenbelt" communities built as part of the Resettlement Administration under Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. (The others are Greenbelt, Maryland, and Greenhills, Ohio.)
Greendale was chosen due to its proximity to a major city (Milwaukee) and having enough space to develop a village center for shops, a community center and offices, with homes built around the center for ease of walking. Construction on Greendale began in July 1936, and the first families moved in in April 1938.
Greenfield is much older. Originally known as Kinnickinnic, Postmaster Olney Harrington suggested the alternative name Greenfield in 1839, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The residents liked it so much, the name was officially changed in 1841.
Threatened by annexation to Milwaukee beginning in 1902, many of Greenfield’s surrounding towns grabbed portions of Greenfield on their way to incorporation. Greenfield was the last of the suburbs to officially become a city in 1957, but at just one-third its original size.
Is New Berlin named after Berlin, Germany?
The origin of New Berlin's name might seem obvious: Berlin, Germany. That's partially true, Gurda said, but it's a bit more complex.
The first settlers in the area near the Milwaukee/Waukesha county border were largely Yankees — East Coasters from places like New York and New England, and there was a village called New Berlin in upstate New York.
The New Berlin in New York was named for a village in Berlin, Connecticut, which took its name from Berlin, Germany. "So actually the New Berlin in Wisconsin should be New New Berlin because it's named after New Berlin in New York," Gurda said.
And yes, you read the "New Butler" part correctly. We know it now as simply Butler, but in 1911, the settlement of "New Butler” was established in Waukesha County, settled mostly by railroad workers and their families. It was incorporated as a village in 1913 with a population of 200. The “New” was dropped from the village’s name in 1926.
Milwaukee suburb names with Native American origins
Names from many suburban communities have a Native American origin.
Wauwatosa, for example, references "the great walker," a noted Indian chief of the vicinity, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Another source interprets the name to mean "lightning bug" or "dim of memory" from the word wawatosi.
Oconomowoc is named from a Potawatomi word meaning "gathering of the waters," according to the Encyclopedia of Milwaukee, a digital urban history encyclopedia created and housed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Waukesha was pronounced by the Chippewas as Wau-goosh-sha and meant 'little fox.'"
The Village of Nashotah's name comes from a Native American term meaning "twins," a reference to the nearby Upper and Lower Nashotah Lakes (which are not within the village limits).
Muskego's name is believed to derive from the area’s Potawatomi inhabitants, who named the area Mus-kee-Guacc. The word means “sunfish,” which were abundant in local lakes.
Mukwonago is named from a Potawatomi word meaning “Place of the Bear."
Milwaukee suburbs named after people
In some cases, a suburb's name comes from a founder or historical figure.
Delafield, which developed in the 1840s as a settlement on the southwest edge of Lake Nagawicka, was named for the owner of the area’s first grist mill, Charles Delafield. Fun fact: Its original name was Hayopolis.
Port Washington owes its name to George Washington, Founding Father and first U.S. president. But Port Washington had some other names first. Wisconsin City to start. Then Washington City, and finally Port Washington.
Hales Corners honors brothers Seneca and William Hale, Yankee pioneers who settled around the intersection of the Janesville Plank Road and what is now Highway 100, Gurda said. William Hale became the community's first postmaster.
Cudahy is named for city founder and meatpacker Patrick Cudahy.
Franklin, named for Benjamin Franklin, was one of two towns formed out of the original town of Kinnickinnic by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature in 1839, according to the Franklin Historical Society. It was incorporated as a city in 1956.
Milwaukee-area communities' names reference home countries or heritage
The beginnings of Germantown can be traced to 1836, when the area that became Germantown was designated as Wisconsin Territory’s “Town Nine,” the oldest settlement in Washington County. German immigrants dominated the early settlement period, along with Irish immigrants and Yankee migrants.
The origin of Wales' name is just what you'd think; it was derived from its first Welsh settlers, the Elias family and other early farm families, who emigrated from Britain to the area in the 1840s, according to visitwaleswi.org.
Today, the village still touts its heritage by displaying the Welsh red dragon depicted on the national flag of Wales. Pedal'rs Inn, a popular bed & breakfast in Wales from 2004-19, was the second Elias home. Later, it was the home of the George Webb family.
Milwaukee suburbs named after geography, topography or something similar
Some of the suburbs get their names from landforms or other references.
Big Bend owes its name to the "big bend" in the Fox River that's just south of the village.
Fox Point acquired its appellation not because there are an inordinate number of foxes prowling the area, but because some early residents thought the point of land that jutted into Lake Michigan — in what is now Doctors Park — looked like the head or nose of a fox. The name was actually "Foxes Point" for a time before being shortened to "Fox Point."
Whitefish Bay owes its name to a time when commercial fishermen were catching predominantly whitefish in the bay of Lake Michigan.
Other suburbs that seem to fall into this category include North Prairie, Elm Grove and Brookfield.
Other Milwaukee suburbs with notable backstories
Other suburbs are worth noting, not for their names, but for other reasons.
The oldest Milwaukee suburb, Bay View, is no longer a suburb. Bay View was incorporated in 1879 as a company town built around an iron mill, according to Gurda.
The mill management wanted to have as much control over the surrounding areas as they could, so they sponsored the incorporation process. Bay View lasted eight years as its own entity, until Milwaukee grew out to Lincoln Avenue, Gurda said.
"People on the north side of Lincoln, which was Bay View's northern border, they had running water and streetlights and sewers, and people in Bay View, they still had outhouses and kerosene lamps, they were pretty primitive," Gurda said. "So the people of Bay View voted overwhelmingly to join the city over the express wishes of the mill management."
Oak Creek's incorporation battle was so involved it now has a law named after it, the "Oak Creek law." When the Wisconsin Electric Power Co. built a power plant in the then town of Oak Creek in 1951, the city of Milwaukee wanted to annex the town into its boundaries, but the Oak Creek Town Board and many Oak Creek residents did not want to become part of Milwaukee, so they began to fight to become a city of their own.
But under state statutes at the time, town government didn’t have the authority to incorporate. Town leaders worked to change the law, which became known as the "Oak Creek law," to allow the town to hold a referendum on the incorporation. The results were 2,107 to 126 in favor of incorporation, and Oak Creek became a fourth-class city in 1955.
More:Wisconsin is full of cities with Indigenous names. So why do we know so little about them?
More:Here's how Native American languages influenced the naming origins of places in southeastern Wisconsin
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2022-08-29T18:48:11Z
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www.jsonline.com
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The story behind how some Milwaukee suburbs got their names
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/2022/08/29/story-behind-how-some-milwaukee-suburbs-got-their-names-west-allis-greenfield-new-berlin-wauwatosa/10007488002/
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Injury creates opportunity for Wisconsin kickers Jack Van Dyke and Nate Van Zelst, but each must overcome obstacles
MADISON – Jack Van Dyke and Nate Van Zelst can’t ask for much more than what they’ll have Saturday.
They'll get to play.
The Wisconsin kickers are set to handle the kickoff and place-kicking duties, respectively, when the Badgers open the season at 6 p.m. Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium against Illinois State.
The game marks a fresh start for Van Dyke, a junior from Neenah High School who was hampered by injury last season. It will be the first start for Van Zelst, a walk-on from Loyola Academy in Chicago.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to get work with the ones, but I just have that one-kick-at-at-time mentality,” Van Zelst said. “I’m not too worried about the future or game day. Just worried about that next kick.”
The two are quality options, but each has benefited from an injury to Arkansas transfer Vito Calvaruso that sidelined the junior for most of fall camp. Calvaruso came to UW as a strong candidate to fill both kicking roles.
Now Van Dyke and Van Zelst have a chance to make a statement in a game, though each player must clear a hurdle in order to perform well.
Van Zelst must overcome his inexperience. Van Dyke has been working to regain trust in his leg after off-season surgery.
Van Dyke kicking without pain
That said, Van Dyke is in a much better spot than last season when he shared kickoff duties with now graduated Collin Larsh. It was a painful experience.
Van Dyke's problem started shortly after his freshman season. He was working out at home when he felt a pop in his leg. He said he tore his groin and a part of his abdomen, which necessitated the surgery he had in the offseason.
Before that, he managed the pain with ibuprofen and gutted through the discomfort on game days. He kicked off 43 times last season. Each time he felt it.
“It really held me back mentally from being able to kick off,” he said. “It was definitely a struggle each game.”
The injury made it difficult for Van Dyke to build on a solid freshman season.
His freshman year his percentage of touchbacks was 47% (16 of 34) and his average yards per kickoff was 60.9. Last season he had 19 touchbacks in 43 kickoffs (44%) and averaged 61.3 yards.
Van Dyke went from kicking in constant pain last year to doing so pain-free during camp. With Van Dyke also a backup punter, the training staff and coaches have been limiting the amount of work he gives his leg.
His goal this season is for 65-70% of his kickoffs to be touchbacks.
“It’s a huge difference," he said. "I feel really healthy. I’m still getting over the mental hump of really letting my leg go, because it’s a precautionary thing, but I feel great and I haven’t had any pain since the surgery, so I feel a lot better than last season."
Van Zelst has big shoes to fill
Van Zelst says his field goal range is up to 50 yards and that during the spring he hit about 80% of his attempts. During fall camp he said he didn’t pay as much attention to his success rate.
“I try not to get too caught up in the numbers in the middle of camp because sometimes that can cause you to think too much,” he said.
Larsh left a high standard to follow. Larsh hit 17 of 22 (77.2%) field goal attempts last season, hitting 3 of 4 from 40-49 yards. His long was 48.
And Van Dyke and Van Zelst will have the challenge of competing with Calvaruso when he returns. His goal in coming to Wisconsin was to handle the place-kicking and kickoff duties. He was proficient at both at Arkansas, recording a 78.7% (96 of 122) success rate for touchbacks and just missing out on winning the place-kicking job last season.
“You’re always going to have to compete with people,” Van Dyke said. “Vito and I are great friends. We both have big legs and we’ve worked together a lot when he’s been healthy. It’s just part of life. It’s a job. When he’s healthy we’ll definitely have a good battle for it. Whoever wins will be deserving of the spot.”
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2022-08-29T18:48:23Z
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Wisconsin kickers Jack Van Dyke, Nick Van Zelst get their opportunity
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/29/wisconsin-badgers-kickers-jack-van-dyke-nick-van-zelst-get-their-opportunity/7927817001/
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Greendale plans to install a 'speed table' on Broad Street to improve pedestrian safety
In an effort to improve pedestrian safety, the village of Greendale plans to install a speed table on Broad Street, midblock between Northway and Schoolway, where the existing crosswalk is.
Speed tables are long, flat-topped speed humps designed to physically limit the speed at which a vehicle can go over it.
The crosswalk will remain at its present location, but on top of the speed table.
Broad Street runs through the heart of Greendale's historic downtown, with many shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes on both sides.
Village President Jason Cyborowski said the village decided to install the speed table a year or two ago in response to residents' concerns about pedestrian safety on the street.
Cyborowski said a speed table was chosen over a speed hump because speed tables are more effective at limiting vehicles' speeds and are more snowplow friendly.
D.C. Burbach Inc. was the successful bidder on the project, which will cost about $77,000, according to minutes of the July 19 Village Board meeting.
The board approved the project by unanimous vote; it will be fully funded by Community Development Block Grants.
Cyborowski said he's in favor of it.
"Anything to help pedestrian safety is one of my biggest concerns," he said.
The village's Facebook post about the project elicited dozens of comments about the plan, some in favor and some opposed. One referenced a 2010 incident in which a vehicle struck and killed a 5-year-old girl at Broad Street and Northway.
Mike Luce, owner of Barbeque Supply Co., 5668 Broad St., said he's glad to see the change.
"Safety of customers is always a top concern, as well as the quality of their shopping experience," Luce said. "So if it helps out in any way, how can it be a bad thing?"
Work is scheduled to begin in early October and take about three weeks to complete.
During construction, a portion of Broad Street will be closed; traffic will be detoured along Parking Street.
The parking lots for downtown businesses will remain accessible during the construction.
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2022-08-29T20:31:33Z
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Greendale's Broad Street to get speed table to help pedestrian safety
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'They'll go above and beyond': American Legion Convention job fair promotes opportunities for veterans
Marine Corps. veteran Reginald Jones walked from table to table checking out the employers that attended the job fair hosted by the American Legion Convention.
“I’d like to see transparency with an employer,” Jones said. “No crazy backroom deals that are going to affect the little guys.”
Jones served in the Marines from 1984 to 1988 and for the last 17 years has been a longshoreman at Port Milwaukee.
Jones was seeing what openings are available and will possibly stay in the shipping and logistics field.
Related: SkillsBridge provides military service members with work experience before they're discharged. It makes it easier for them to find jobs.
Roughly 40 different employers attended the job fair with the American Legion Convention late last week looking for potential employees.
“Military personnel generally have a strong sense of camaraderie amongst themselves and it’s like steel sharpening steel,” Jones said. “We know each other’s strengths, weaknesses but we all have the same mission — to get it done.”
The convention in downtown Milwaukee closes Wednesday.
A $7,500 signing bonus
Chandra Plears is a talent acquisition specialist for Sysco a food production company.
“We would love to have more people from our military in our supervisory positions,” Plears said. “We are definitely looking for more military people to work at Sysco.”
Plears said the company has several dozen jobs open for different departments from transportation to the warehouse to “food selectors” and was offering a $7,500 signing bonus for employees.
“They definitely last longer than your usual applicant,” Plears said. “I think it’s because of the training that they’ve had... They know how to do the work and go about their day.”
Army veteran Joel Harris almost worked for Amazon but a miscommunication caused his start-date to get canceled.
“I’m trying to reapply to Amazon and I may try to get on the food service team,” Harris said. “I was a dishwasher at the UW hospital and the VA hospital. I did a little food prep.”
Harris is unemployed and, like Jones, was seeing what options were available.
“I haven’t been to one of these in a long time,” Harris said about the job fair.
Harris talked with officials with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development who were pushing their apprenticeship programs.
“They got (apprenticeships) for different areas depending on what you want to do,” Harris said adding he might try to see which apprenticeships he’s most interested in. “It could be something to keep me busy instead of sitting around the house all the time. I’ll see where it takes me.”
Kelly El-Yaagoubi, human resources business partner at Holtger Bros., Inc., which works in telecommunications infrastructure, said their company is looking for people who “want to do hands-outdoor work all year round.”
“There’s so much work available, I’m not sure I have a limit (on job openings), which is awesome that the company has so much available,” El-Yaagoubi said.
Like Sysco, Holtger Bros. offers signing bonuses for some positions, but they also pay workers to get their commercial drivers license through the company.
El-Yaagoubi said veterans offer a higher level of consistency of work.
“Veterans tend to come with a very high level of discipline,” El-Yaagoubi said. “They’re going to be there day in and day out regardless of the conditions or what’s going on. They have such great training that can be applicable in so many ways and probably the biggest thing is their leadership that they come with.”
But while there seems to be openings at nearly every company in every field, those who work with veterans understand some of the problems they face with finding and maintaining employment.
Veteran employment issues
Lisa Harmon works for the Center for Veterans Issues in Milwaukee which helps homeless veterans or those who are at risk of being homeless.
Harmon was there to get more information that the Center for Veterans Issues could use to help their veterans get a job and to know what openings are available.
Harmon said transportation to work has become a major issue for the veterans they serve and even prevents them from getting jobs in certain areas of southeastern Wisconsin because they can’t get to the job.
“Some of them don’t have cars,” Harmon said. “We do provide transportation but if they’re on the bus, some buses don’t go to certain places and areas.”
And some have issues stemming from their time in the military.
“They may get the job but they’re dealing with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),” Harmon said. “Sometimes they might not keep (the job) long because of their issues. So we do get a lot of them that come back and we try to help them again.”
Harmon said the Center for Veterans Issues helps roughly 60 veterans per month with jobs.
Beverly Fitch served in the Army from 1990 to 2020 and now is the third district commander for the American Legion in Chicago. She’s also a employment transitional manager for Operation Job Ready Veteran.
Fitch said some companies could pay veterans better.
“I think (companies) lowball a lot of veterans with their starting salary and they get discouraged,” Fitch said. “And especially the younger veterans. That’s what makes them jump from one job to the next, someone offering $1.50 more, ‘I’ll go work here.’ If on the front end, they would offer more money that would entice a lot of veterans based on their skills and not always lowballing them.”
Angela Baskin, who also served in the Army from 1987 to 2005 and now works at the Edward J. Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Illinois, concurred with Fitch.
“Those salaries, compared to the civilian world and with us and the VA, there is a big difference in that salary range,” Baskin said, adding increased wages would be helpful. “A lot of people retire out of the military, and they are at a higher ranking, so being able to be comparable to that would be helpful when soldiers are transitioning to the civilian world to where salaries are comparable to being able to sustain that same lifestyle coming off of active duty.”
Fitch said companies that hire veterans receive workers that are fast learners, disciplined and dedicated
“You take care of your veteran, your veteran will take care of you,” Fitch said. “You take care of your employees who are veterans then they’re going to do a lot for you. They’ll go above and beyond.”
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2022-08-29T20:31:45Z
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American Legion Convention job fair connects veterans with employers
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/08/29/american-legion-convention-job-fair-connects-veterans-employers/7884642001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/08/29/american-legion-convention-job-fair-connects-veterans-employers/7884642001/
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Gov. Evers welcomes campaigning with Biden, even though the president's ratings are not great
MOUNT HOREB - Gov. Tony Evers on Monday underscored his support for President Joe Biden, pledging to support a second term if Biden decides to launch a reelection campaign, and endorsing the president's plan to cancel student loan debt.
Biden is visiting Wisconsin and one other battleground state next week in the run-up to the midterm elections. Democratic incumbent Evers is facing a tough fight for a second term against Republican construction executive Tim Michels.
The president's visit comes as support from Wisconsinites is low. In a recent poll conducted by the Marquette University Law School, 40% of those surveyed approved of the job Biden is doing, with 55% disapproving.
But Evers, who was viewed favorably by 46% and unfavorably by 41% in the same poll, said Monday in a campaign stop in Dane County that he welcomes Biden's visit and would support him in the future. That's a contrast to Evers' lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, who on Monday avoided a question about Biden's upcoming visit in his campaign for U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Ron Johnson.
"He’s the president of the United States, we have a good relationship, and so I'm looking forward to it," Evers said at a campaign stop at Hart House Guitars. "As far as the value of campaigning with the president or not, I'll let the people in Wisconsin figure that out," Evers said when asked whether campaigning with the president would hurt his reelection chances given Biden's approval in the state. "We are absolutely working to make sure that, regardless of who the president is, we're focused on the issues that are important to Wisconsinites."
"If they say, 'Evers, we want you there,' that's fine," he added.
More:President Joe Biden will visit Milwaukee on Labor Day, speak at Laborfest just over two months before the elections
Evers said he would support Biden if the president, who turns 80 in November, seeks another term.
"If he ran, yes. I'm not sure he is. But if he ran, yes. If he's our candidate, yes," Evers said.
Evers also said he backed the president's decision to cancel student loan debt accrued by millions of Americans.
Biden announced Wednesday that he is canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for Americans earning less than $125,000 per year. Biden is offering an additional $10,000 of debt forgiveness for students who received Pell Grants in college as a way to target relief toward those from the lowest-income households.
More:A bandage? A huge help? Not needed? Here's what 5 Wisconsin borrowers think about student loan forgiveness
Republicans have criticized the plan, calling the move unfair to Wisconsinites who will shoulder the cost of the plan and did not benefit from it, and have warned it could increase inflation. They have also questioned the legality of Biden's order, signaling a legal challenge likely and the implementation of loan forgiveness unclear.
Evers said Monday he believes the plan will improve the economy.
"I think, long-term, people are going to feel more comfortable that they don't have as much to set aside to pay off their loans," Evers said. "So I just don't understand the concern about that.”
Michels criticized the plan in a statement, saying it does not benefit most Wisconsinites.
"The vast majority of Wisconsinites don't have college loans of their own, and they're already paying the price of Democrats' runaway spending, so they have concerns," Michels said.
"From gas prices, to food at the grocery store, everything is costing more because of Joe Biden and Tony Evers’ failures. I look forward to hearing Biden explain why he's trying to further drive up costs while forcing blue-collar workers to pay for everyone else's college degrees."
Evers made his comments at a guitar shop in downtown Mount Horeb. Corey Hart, the owner of Hart House Guitars, was a recipient of a grant program Evers launched in 2021 to provide money to business owners who wished to utilize a vacant building in a community's business district.
The Main Street Bounceback Program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Evers said Monday about 5,500 grants have been distributed since the program began.
Hart told Evers his business would not have survived without the grant money.
Michels visited Weldall Manufacturing in Waukesha on Monday, according to his campaign's Twitter account.
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2022-08-29T22:21:56Z
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Wisconsin Gov. Evers welcomes Joe Biden visit, backs student loan plan
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/29/wisconsin-gov-evers-welcomes-president-joe-biden-visit-backs-student-loan-plan/7933675001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/29/wisconsin-gov-evers-welcomes-president-joe-biden-visit-backs-student-loan-plan/7933675001/
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Jordan Turner, Maema Njongmeta emerge from camp as Wisconsin's No. 1 inside linebacker duo
MADISON – At times during preseason camp it appeared Wisconsin assistant Mark D’Onofrio had a revolving door installed on the UW sideline.
Because he didn’t join the UW staff until June 10, D’Onofrio had to expedite the process of evaluating the talent on hand at inside linebacker.
As a result, D’Onofrio frequently shuffled his pairings to evaluate individual players and duos.
Five legitimate candidates emerged through camp and it appears the No. 1 pairing for the opener Saturday against Illinois State will be sophomore Jordan Turner and redshirt junior Maema Njongmeta.
“We’ve got a group that we feel really good about,” head coach Paul Chryst said Monday, “yet they’ve got to play and they don’t have a ton of experience.”
Turner and Njongmeta are listed as starters on the team’s depth chart, which was released Monday. The reserves are redshirt junior Tatum Grass, who was placed on scholarship after spring ball, and sophomore Jake Chaney.
The fifth option is redshirt freshman Bryan Sanborn, who came on late in camp.
“To their credit,” Chryst said, “they’ve been bringing out the best in each other. Good competition, healthy competition, can be a good thing.
“I think that position as much as any has illustrated that. They have competed … and I do think they are raising the bar on each other.”
Inside linebacker arguably has been the most scrutinized unit on the defense since the end of last season.
UW must replace multiyear starters Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn, who last season combined for 13 sacks, 33½ tackles for loss and 205 total tackles.
“I think we’ve got a group now – they can be really good players,” Chryst said. “But there is not separation.”
Chryst acknowledged the ability to communicate is essential, particularly given how D’Onofrio shuffled his pairings during practice.
“That is part of playing the position,” he said. “We think we’ve got five guys that are stepping up.
“This isn’t a situation where we can’t find one. I think that is important to make note of. We’ve got guys that are raising their level.
“The group is a sharp group.”
Turner played in six games last season, mostly on special teams, but recorded two interceptions and six total tackles. Njongmeta played in six games last season and had four tackles.
Grass, a graduate of Holmen High School, had nine tackles last season. He played in all 13 games. Chaney played on special teams last season. He had one tackle in nine games.
“I feel like we’ve got some guys that can play,” Turner said. “I know they’re going to get their chance. We have a lot of healthy competition.”
More:Nickel: Wisconsin linebacker Jordan Turner demonstrates his potential, both on the field and off, as he reaches out to help others in need
From last year:A COVID-stricken UW linebacker feared for his future last fall. Now he expects to be a valuable contributor.
According to several players Monday, D'Onofrio plans to rotate pairings in the opener.
“Coach has laid out who the guys are that he thinks he can trust right now,” Grass said. “I think we all know we’re going to have opportunities and it is our job when we get those opportunities to execute them.
“It is good to know we are that deep and we can go out there and play free and play fast. And knowing we will be rotating, we better be laying it all out there because we’re not going to be gassed.”
D’Onofrio replaced Bill Sheridan, who worked with the team in the spring but resigned in May in the wake of allegations he committed NCAA violations while coaching at Air Force in 2020.
Njongmeta noted the players adjusted quickly to D’Onofrio.
“He rotates and we just play,” Njongmeta said. “The only thing we needed to adjust to was the new (terminology). When coach tells you you’re in, you’re in. It’s nothing out of this world.
“When I play I like to think about my technique and my job. At the end of the day, you want to be the best you can be so everyone else’s job is easier.”
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2022-08-29T22:22:08Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Wisconsin to start Jordan Turner, Maema Njongmeta at inside linebacker
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/29/wisconsin-start-jordan-turner-maema-njongmeta-inside-linebacker/7928376001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/29/wisconsin-start-jordan-turner-maema-njongmeta-inside-linebacker/7928376001/
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Craig Counsell's majestic call for the Raptor, Brent Suter, proved to be the right one. And now it's a meme.
Suter, the 6-5 left-hander who developed the nickname thanks to his humorous gait, delivered a strong two innings, allowing two hits and a walk but no runs, and the Brewers came back to win on a walk-off home run, 7-5.
More:Brewers pitcher Brent Suter will debut his children's book in early June
More:Brent Suter's logic-defying fastball is one of the slowest in baseball. It's also one of the best.
More:Clash at Coors Field: Milwaukee 'Raptor' takes on a purple triceratops
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2022-08-30T04:51:36Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers manager Craig Counsell's call for 'Raptor' Brent Suter a meme
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/29/brewers-manager-craig-counsells-call-raptor-brent-suter-meme/7936989001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/29/brewers-manager-craig-counsells-call-raptor-brent-suter-meme/7936989001/
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Wisconsin loved to run on first down last season. Will that change significantly under a new offensive coordinator?
MADISON – Wisconsin’s Bobby Engram enters his first season as an offensive coordinator facing myriad questions.
How heavily will the Badgers rely on the ground game? Will the passing game improve and become more of a consistent threat and better complement to the ground game? Will an improved passing game lead to more balance in terms of productivity?
Remember that in the seven seasons Paul Chryst has been UW’s head coach, the Badgers’ average run-to-pass split has been 63.1% to 36.9%.
UW rushed the ball on 65.4% of its plays (567) last season and averaged 210.9 rushing yards per game. The Badgers passed the ball on 34.6% of their plays (300) and averaged 160.2 passing yards per game.
Although the questions about Engram and UW’s offense will be answered in time, it is clear that last season UW’s best option on first down was to hand the ball to tailback Braelon Allen and let him work.
Not including runs on first and goal inside the opponents’ 10, the Badgers ran the ball on first down 253 times in 13 games last season.
That is an average of 19.5 first-down runs per game.
Allen, who didn’t carry the ball in the opener against Penn State and missed the Notre Dame game (concussion), led the way with 99 first-down runs for 760 yards for an average of 7.7 yards per carry.
“I expect to gain as much as I can on every carry,” said Allen, who finished the season at 6.8 yards per carry overall.
More:How to get tickets for Wisconsin football games in 2022 and what to know about Camp Randall carry-ins, parking and tailgating
Chez Mellusi, who missed UW’s final four games after suffering a torn ACL at Rutgers, had 88 first-down runs for 398 yards (4.5-yard average).
Isaac Guerendo, who played in just four games before suffering a season-ending foot injury, was third with 14 first-down runs for 122 yards (8.7-yard average). Guerendo’s average was bolstered by an 82-yard touchdown run against Eastern Michigan.
Allen gained at least 5 yards on 48 of the 99 runs. That included 18 runs of at least 10 yards.
Overall, UW averaged 6.2 yards on first-down runs.
What about the passing game?
Quarterback Graham Mertz passed the ball on first down 97 times. That is an average of 7.5 first-down passes per game.
Mertz completed 59 of 97 first-down attempts, a completion rate of 60.8%. By comparison, he finished last season at 59.5% overall (169 of 284).
Mertz averaged 9.2 yards per attempt and 15.1 yards per completion on first-down passes. Those are both impressive numbers. However, he had more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (one) on first-down throws.
His highest number of first-down throws came in UW’s 41-13 loss to Notre Dame in the third game of the season. Mertz hit 11 of 20 attempts (55.0%) for 162 yards, with two interceptions. UW rushed 10 times on first down, for 30 yards, in the loss.
Mertz’s low mark for first-down passes came in UW’s 30-13 victory at Purdue. The Badgers rushed 21 times for 144 yards (6.9-yard average) on first down and Mertz was 1 of 2 for 9 yards.
UW had 11 first-down passes and 11 first-down runs in the regular-season finale at Minnesota, a 23-13 loss. The Badgers averaged 4.0 yards on the ground, but Mertz completed just 5 of 11 first-down passes (45.5%) for 50 yards. He missed on his last four first-down throws.
Mertz will be throwing to a revamped group of receivers and tight ends this season.
Junior Chimere Dike is the most experienced wide receiver. He had 19 catches last season. Clay Cundiff and Jack Eschenbach are the only returning tight ends who caught a pass last season. Both had three catches, though Cundiff played in only three games.
“In the spring he tried to feel out the new group,” head coach Paul Chryst said of Mertz. “Now I think there is more of a comfort. There is more of an understanding with the new receivers and whatever may be new.
“Now you’ve got to go out and do it then. That is all of us.”
Will Mertz, with Engram calling the plays, be asked to throw more on first down this season? Mertz talked confidently in camp that he is prepared for his third season as the starter.
Or, will Engram look to establish the run first and then unleash the passing game on second and medium or second and short?
Allen believes that barring a free defender getting into the backfield immediately after the snap, he should be able to churn out at least 4 yards a crack.
“For me, I would like to take every carry to the house,” he said. “So, I feel if the blocking is what it needs to be and there is enough space and you’ve put in the work you can take any carry to the house.”
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2022-08-30T10:23:04Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Will Wisconsin's new offensive coordinator run less on first down?
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/30/wisconsins-new-offensive-coordinator-run-less-first-down/7934782001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/30/wisconsins-new-offensive-coordinator-run-less-first-down/7934782001/
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Netflix will release documentary series 'Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes' in October
Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer will be the subject of the third season of Netflix's true-crime documentary series.
"Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes" begins showing on the streaming service Oct. 7. The three-part documentary tells the story of Dahmer's arrest and confession to a horrifying string of crimes, including murder, necrophilia and cannibalism. Sentenced to 15 life sentences — and then a 16th for a murder committed years earlier in Ohio — in 1992, Dahmer, 34, was beaten to death in prison in 1994.
"The discovery shocked the nation and stunned the local community, who were incensed that such a depraved killer had been allowed to operate within their city for so long," the description of the series on Netflix's media site reads. "Why was Dahmer, who had been convicted of sexual assault of a minor in 1988, able to avoid suspicion and detection from police as he stalked Milwaukee’s gay scene for victims, many of whom were people of color?"
Directed by documentary veteran Joe Berlinger, who also made the "Conversations" installments on serial killers Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy, the series features "never-before-heard" interviews between Dahmer and his defense team "answering open questions of police accountability through a modern-day lens."
The description sounds not unlike Netflix's other Dahmer series, "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," a dramatic series by Ryan Murphy ("American Horror Story"). First reported in October 2020, "Monster" is expected to tell the Dahmer story largely from the point of view of his victims, with a focus on the role of the police in Dahmer's ability to commit his crimes for as long as he was able to. Reportedly, one of the series' lead characters will be Glenda Cleveland, a neighbor of Dahmer's who tried to intervene after teenage boy Konerak Sinthasomphone was returned to Dahmer by police after he'd been seen fleeing Dahmer's apartment. (The police took Dahmer's word that the two were lovers; Dahmer later confessed to killing Sinthasomphone.)
Evan Peters is playing Dahmer, with Niecy Nash as Cleveland, and Richard Jenkins and Penelope Ann Miller as Dahmer's parents. According to a cast list on Internet Movie Database, many of the other real-life people in the Dahmer story, including then-Police Chief Philip Arreola and the two officers who returned Sinthasomphone to Dahmer, are characters in the drama.
Netflix has said the 10-episode drama series will be released sometime this year but has not given an official debut date.
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2022-08-30T12:32:32Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Netflix sets 'Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes'
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/television-radio/2022/08/30/netflix-release-conversations-killer-jeffrey-dahmer-tapes-october/7930969001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/television-radio/2022/08/30/netflix-release-conversations-killer-jeffrey-dahmer-tapes-october/7930969001/
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Ho-Chunk Nation launches online dictionary to breathe new life into endangered Ho-Chunk language
Henning Garvin is mindful that a day will come when he can no longer turn to his aging dad, a fluent speaker of the Ho-Chunk language — spelled Hoocąk — and ask how to say this or that in their Indigenous language.
His dad, Cecil Garvin, learned Hoocąk as a child, and is one of the few still alive who did. As such, his dad is a vital link to the tribe's history and culture.
"We don’t like to speak about mortality, but it’s a fact of life,” said Henning, who has worked in language preservation for his tribe since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in linguistics. "We're going to get to a situation where I'm going to be saying, ... 'I wish I would have asked when they were here.' "
With that in mind, Henning led a multi-year project — with the help of Cecil and other elders fluent in Hoocąk — by the Ho-Chunk Nation to create a digital Hoocąk-English dictionary, an effort to preserve as much of his elders' linguistic knowledge as possible.
The online dictionary, launched at the end of July, is the culmination of decades of work by the Ho-Chunk language division, Ho-Chunk elders and others to preserve Hoocąk and ensure it is passed down for generations to come.
"Our language is who we are," said Cecil.
In past years, there have been efforts to compile word lists and lexicons. In the mid-2000s, the language division was part of a project with German linguists to document Hoocąk, including by publishing a paper dictionary and other materials.
All that work fed into the division's effort to make a digital dictionary, which Henning hopes will open doors to future language learners and make Hoocąk accessible to anybody with a smartphone or an Internet connection.
"The dictionary is an incredible tool," he said. "I want anyone who is interested and wants to learn the Hoocąk language to be able to access and use this tool."
The dictionary, at https://dictionary.hochunk.org, contains more than 11,000 entries, each accompanied by audio pronunciation of the word or phrase. The number of entries is likely to grow as the language division adds to it, Henning said.
"We consider it a gift from all of these people to future generations," said Adrienne Thunder, program manager of the Ho-Chunk Nation’s language division. "While we may not have them for a long time into the future, we will have this gift that they left us."
A declining number of speakers
The project began in 2019, when the Ho-Chunk Nation and an Indiana-based nonprofit called The Language Conservancy organized workshops with Ho-Chunk elders to collect as many Hoocąk words as possible.
The project got a boost last year from the federal government when the Administration for Native Americans, an office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the Ho-Chunk Nation a three-year grant of about $220,000 meant to support Native language preservation and revitalization.
Estimates vary for how many native Hoocąk speakers are alive today, with some putting the number at less than 200 and others even lower, at less than 50. Like so many Indigenous languages across the continent, it is considered an endangered language.
Native communities trace the decline of their languages back to the Indigenous boarding school era in the late 1800s and early 1900s, where Native youths were discouraged or even forbidden from speaking their Native languages and sometimes punished severely if caught disobeying.
More:'People need to know what happened': Wisconsin tribes, families welcome federal scrutiny of Indian boarding school system
More:'Not in the history books': The dark history of Native American boarding schools is getting new attention in Wisconsin, U.S.
Over the years, fewer Native parents passed their languages down to their children, sometimes out of shame instilled by the boarding schools, sometimes out of an instinct to protect their children from the retribution they had faced and to set them up to succeed in the English-speaking world.
Other tribal communities in the state also have undertaken robust efforts to save their languages.
There is an Ojibwe language immersion school for grade schoolers on the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation in northern Wisconsin. The Oneida Nation in the Green Bay area also won a grant through the Administration for Native Americans last year to expand language immersion programming for children ages 3 to 8. Their project description noted that only two fluent speakers of Oneida remain. The Indian Community School in Franklin also offers instruction in Native languages, including Menominee, Ojibwe and Oneida, for students living in the Milwaukee area.
The Ho-Chunk’s digital dictionary stands to benefit around 2,000 Ho-Chunk youth in Wisconsin, not to mention the rest of the Ho-Chunk citizenry and others interested in learning the language, according to the project description.
Henning said he doesn't know of any other Hoocąk to English dictionaries available on the Internet. The dictionary includes example sentences and grammatical information about each word. The audio recordings of each word, pronounced by both a male and female speaker, were taped over a series of sessions with Ho-Chunk elders.
The dictionary also has a comment button, where users can leave suggestions if a Hoocąk word is missing or if they have other feedback.
Henning and Thunder consider the dictionary to be "a living document" and expect it to be continually updated, as users make suggestions and as the language division makes improvements.
"I still meet with my dad regularly to go through entries," Henning said.
In making the dictionary, the language division also focused on neologisms, or newly developed words. They tried to include words or phrases to describe contemporary concepts or ones that fluent speakers weren’t sure how to express in Hoocąk, Henning said.
For instance, the word for electricity, wakąja hojąp, is a combination of the words for Thunder spirit and lightning strike.
One that has stumped Cecil lately is "allergy."
"There are ways to define that, but we don’t have a word that we’ve found yet or I can’t think of it," he said. "That’s the tough part."
When trying to think of a new word, Cecil consults other fluent speakers or imagines how he would have explained it to a non-English-speaking grandparent.
The project fits into other initiatives by the tribe, including a language apprenticeship program that teaches Hoocąk to people who then become teachers of the language.
Hoocąk is available as a language option in five high schools in the eastern part of Wisconsin where many Ho-Chunk people live, including Nekoosa, Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells, Black River Falls and Tomah, Thunder said.
"It’s up to the (Ho-Chunk) Nation, too, to find what it means to be a Ho-Chunk person in modern day life ... and how we convey what our values and our beliefs are, and language is definitely valuable to everybody," Thunder said. "We’re in a really great position to move forward."
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2022-08-30T12:32:44Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Ho-Chunk launch dictionary to revive endangered indigenous language
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/30/ho-chunk-launch-dictionary-revive-endangered-indigenous-language/10303434002/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/30/ho-chunk-launch-dictionary-revive-endangered-indigenous-language/10303434002/
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Milwaukee philanthropist Isabel Bader, 95, yearned to 'do things better, do things faster'
Isabel Bader, a teacher and philanthropist who with her late husband Alfred directed hundreds of millions of dollars in gifts to causes ranging from the arts and humanities to chemistry and higher education, died Sunday at her Milwaukee residence.
Her niece, Margaret Foster, remembered Bader as "a very strong character. Determined."
Daniel Bader said his stepmother was devoted to his father, who died in 2018, and continued his philanthropy, but with her own unique vision.
"It wasn't just that she took up his mantle in the old master paintings and chemistry," he said. "She developed her own interest, particularly around indigenous communities and immigrant communities."
Related: Now marking its 30th year, Bader Philanthropies is a powerhouse that gives equal access to funds
Daniel Bader, president and chief executive of Bader Philanthropies, spoke with admiration about Isabel's ability to push him to do better. The foundation carries on the philanthropic legacy of his late mother, Helen Davis Bader, and Isabel and Alfred Bader.
"She never let me rest on my laurels," he said. "She was always challenging me in a good way to do things better, do things faster."
Isabel advised Bader Philanthropies on grants specifically focused on indigenous communities in Milwaukee and Ontario.
Just last month, the nonprofit announced plans to provide a $3 million grant to the UWM Foundation to benefit of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Electa Quinney Institute for American Indian Education.
"She was really passionate about helping people from different cultural backgrounds," Daniel Bader said.
Her philanthropy was also felt at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, her husband's alma mater.
“Queen’s was very fortunate to have been one of Isabel’s priorities,” Patrick Deane, the school's principal, said in a statement.
“To have known Isabel — in all her warmth, gentleness, wit, and acuity — I will number among the great privileges of my life," Deane said. "She was a gentle soul who delighted in seeing students thrive and discover their own potential through the arts. I will remember her as indomitably humane.”
According to a release from Queen's University, Isabel and her husband donated to the school a vast art collection that included four Rembrandt paintings, a castle in England, and a center for performing arts.
They also endowed chairs and created numerous scholarships.
“Isabel loved the performing arts and was always interested in new developments. This is a person who had an acutely curious mind and extensive knowledge of the arts," said Tricia Baldwin, director of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, in a statement.
A difficult upbringing
Isabel Overton was born November 1, 1926, the middle child of Herbert and Estelle Overton. She was raised in Kirkland Lake, a gold mining town in northeast Ontario, Canada.
"Her father worked at the gold mine," Daniel Bader said. "It was a tough upbringing. They were living in really harsh conditions."
She attended college at a school that would become the University of Toronto, where she studied history and languages.
In 1949, she took a fateful trip, traveling by passenger ship from Canada to Liverpool.
On the voyage, she met Alfred Bader, who fell in love and quickly proposed to her. He was Jewish. She was Protestant. Intermarriage among faiths at the time was rare. She decided that Alfred should marry someone who was Jewish so that he could raise a family.
He eventually met and married Helen Daniels, who helped him as he co-founded Aldrich Chemicals. The couple divorced in 1981. And Bader married his lost love Isabel.
By then, Isabel had long created a life of her own in England.
She spent 28 years at a girls’ school in Bexhill-on-Sea. There she co-founded a drama school, the Thalia School of Elocution and Drama. She was also a costume designer.
Asked to describe Isabel, Daniel Bader called her: "Very smart, very sharp, very witty. Very committed to being of service. Kind of driven in a way. Particularly in her later years. All of that energy was focused on philanthropy and grants, making sure the money was used to help others."
Besides Daniel Bader and her niece, Margaret Foster, survivors include Isabel's brother, Clifford Overton, stepson David Bader, seven grandchildren and five nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will take place Tuesday, August 30 at 1:00 PM at Goodman-Bensman Funeral Home, 4750 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay.
Interment to follow at Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee.
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2022-08-30T12:32:50Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee philanthropist Isabel Bader, 95, was driven to help others
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/30/milwaukee-philanthropist-isabel-bader-95-driven-help-others/7935663001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/08/30/milwaukee-philanthropist-isabel-bader-95-driven-help-others/7935663001/
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A significant first step was taken toward unionizing minor-league baseball Sunday night and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brent Suter had a key role in the groundbreaking action.
He also had plenty of thoughts to offer about the decision.
The MLB Players Association, of which Suter is Milwauke’s player rep, sent out authorization cards that will allow players in the minors to vote on a decision that would make them members of the MLBPA.
The unionization effort, which has long been called for by many around baseball, would bring more than 5,000 minor-league players under the umbrella of the MLBPA. Compensation for minor-league players is not currently bargained for, which has kept most yearly salaries in the $5,000 to $14,000 range.
“I think it’s years overdue,” Suter said Monday afternoon.
These are the key issues to Suter
Suter was part of the vote by the MLBPA’s executive board to unionize the minors and had been in talks with Advocates for Minor Leaguers, a group that spent years bringing together minor-league players and spotlighting their struggles, leading up to the announcement.
“It wasn’t a huge role, but I’ve definitely been behind the scenes somewhat,” said Suter, who was heavily involved in labor negotiations with MLB during the lockout last winter. “It was a pleasant surprise when we were told it was happening yesterday.”
There are myriad key issues involving minor-leaguers Suter and the MLBPA believe should be bargained for, but the one Suter mentioned first was the contraction of the minors which in recent years had shrunk the number of affiliated teams by more than 25%.
"Really, we were concerned about the latest contraction of minor league teams, and wanted to make sure the players had a voice at that table," Suter said. "If they want to continue contracting the minor leagues – because that's losing the jobs, right – we wanted to make sure there's some type of bargaining happening in that process instead of just unilateral decision making. That was a big one."
The topic Suter spoke most passionately about? Giving minor-leaguers a living wage.
It’s a topic familiar to the lefthander, who lived at his parents' home and spent four years substitute teaching in the off-season while in the minors to make ends meet. He was fortunate enough, he said, to have a place to live for free and the educational background that helped him get a job that paid modestly.
Under the current system, Suter mentioned, an entire subset of baseball players are disadvantaged by the lack of financial support they receive during the season.
“I mean, you look at just trying to expand the reach of baseball to players coming into baseball from different socioeconomic groups,” Suter said. “If I didn't live with my parents the first couple years of the minor leagues, I don’t know if I would have kept playing. I didn’t have enough money. I was substitute teaching, training and trying to pay rent on top of that.
“It can get really difficult to show up to spring training in good health. Guys that can’t live with their parents, don’t get a good signing bonus or whatever it may be, you’re eliminating a segment of the population that could be really good ball players. I think it’s been long overdue in that respect.”
Suter listed off a handful of other key issues he expected the union to bargain for: work conditions; clubhouse conditions; a more streamlined system for filing grievances; a modified reserve system that either puts players on a pay scale or allows them to seek free agency sooner; and input into on-field rule changes such as the pitch clock that currently can be implemented unilaterally.
“Just basic protections,” Suter said.
Suter disagrees with commissioner's comments
During a July news conference, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred rejected the premise that players in the minors don’t make enough money to live on.
As for players who get small signing bonuses or none at all, Manfred went on to refer to them as “truly seasonal employees” who will have “very short baseball careers.”
Needless to say that those comments didn’t sit well with Suter, who himself was a 31st-round draft pick who got a miniscule signing bonus.
“I don’t like that comment. I don’t like it,” Suter said bluntly. “I don’t like saying they’re paid plenty. Like, is it maybe technically enough to live on during the season? Yes. But I mean, to realistically have to go through an off-season to be prepared to make a team the next year, it’s not enough.
“And it really just hasn’t really risen. It hasn’t risen with inflation, certainly not in the last year. I really don’t like that comment about benign seasonal interns. I don’t like it. You talk about seven, eight months of long hours, a lot of hard work, a lot of time spent traveling. Show me a seasonal job that’s eight months long with that much travel and time. It didn’t make sense to me.”
Hear Suter say that and it’s easy to understand why he would want to help lead the charge to make minor-league life easier for all the future under-scouted and underappreciated players just like he was that have to grind through the minors.
“(Manfred) was looking at me as an intern and just a filler,” Suter said. “Which, maybe I was at some point, but you keep getting outs and keep producing, you’re no longer an intern. I don’t understand that description or that label.”
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2022-08-30T12:33:14Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers' Brent Suter calls union inclusion of minors 'years overdue'
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-brent-suter-calls-union-inclusion-minors-years-overdue/7935949001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-brent-suter-calls-union-inclusion-minors-years-overdue/7935949001/
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The upcoming winter will be snowy and "colder than normal" in southern and eastern Wisconsin, according to the annual forecast issued Tuesday by the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Snowfall will be "greater than normal" in the lower Great Lakes, according to the publication, which has been issuing a winter weather outlook for 131 years.
The publication's lower Great Lakes region includes roughly the southeastern quarter of Wisconsin including Milwaukee. Across that region, the Old Farmers Almanac calls for colder-than-normal temperatures.
"The snowiest periods will be in late November to early December and early to mid-January," according to the almanac.
The publication breaks down its weather predictions across 18 regions of the U.S.
Much of the remainder of Wisconsin is included in the publication's outlook for the Upper Midwest. The Wisconsin portion of that forecast region runs roughly along a line from Appleton to Eau Claire and northward.
The publication calls for temperatures to be below normal but also for snowfall to be below normal across that region.
A 'tale of two winters'
Nationwide, some folks will see a brutal winter while others will barely see any winter at all, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
“Depending on where you live, this will be the best of winters or memorable for all the wrong reasons,” said Janice Stillman, editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, in a statement. “One half of the country will deal with bone-chilling cold and loads of snow, while the other half may feel like winter never really arrives.”
For much of the western half of the United States, the publication is predicting a "wet and mild" winter "with lots of (mostly) rain and temperatures that trend upward by as much as several degrees above normal."
Meanwhile, "The eastern half of the U.S. should brace for potentially record-breaking cold to define the season," according to the publication. "This frigid forecast extends to the Deep South and Texas, which could see the mercury diving as much as 8 degrees Fahrenheit below normal."
During its 231 years of making winter predictions, the Old Farmer's Almanac says it’s had about an 80% accuracy rate.
For last winter, the publication says it achieved 72.2% accuracy for temperature and precipitation forecasts, which it said was "...slightly below our traditional average rate of 80%."
The Old Farmer's Almanac says it employs three scientific disciplines to make long-term weather predictions: solar science, which is the study of sunspots and other solar activity; climatology, which is the study of prevailing weather patterns; and meteorology, the study of the atmosphere.
"We predict weather trends and events by comparing solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity," according to the publication.
The annual publication also contains common sense advice as well as other information including calendars of moon phases and astronomical data. It also includes suggestions for the best days to plant or harvest; quit smoking; look for a job; get married or go fishing.
Wisconsin deer hunting forecast
Among the Wisconsin statewide events that can be impacted by weather (other than Green Bay Packers football games) is the gun deer hunt, when more than a half-million people take to the state's wildlands seeking to harvest a white-tailed deer.
This year, the gun hunt takes place from Nov. 19 to Nov. 27.
For northern and central Wisconsin, the forecast for Nov. 15 to 20 calls for snow and "very cold" while Nov. 21 to 27 calls for snow showers and cold temperatures.
It will be a different story for the southeast quarter of the state.
Nov. 17 to Nov. 22 calls for snow and cold while Nov. 23 to 25 is forecast to see rain and mild temperatures with Nov. 26 to 30 forecast to see snow and "very cold" temperatures.
The 2023 Old Farmer’s Almanac is available for $7.99 wherever books and magazines are sold.
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2022-08-30T12:33:20Z
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Wisconsin winter: Here's the Old Farmer's Almanac winter forecast
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Rollaero closed in 2021 after 42 years in business in Cudahy. The location is now available for lease.
Rollaero closed in 2021 but a new business could roll into the space.
The location, 5200 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Cudahy, announced its permanent closure on Aug. 22, 2021 via Facebook. In a letter to patrons, the Miller family, owners of Rollaero, said “catastrophic damage to the skating floor” during COVID-19 lockdowns required its removal.
The building sat vacant since the closure. Anyone interested to utilize the space now has the chance.
“At this point, my family wishes to lease the building,” said Doreen A. Miller-Fish, daughter of the owner.
Rumors swirled the location was also up for sale, but Miller-Fish said that was not true.
“Any dollar value being bantered about is pure conjecture as we have not expressed any price (for which) we would consider selling the property,” she said.
The location is adjacent to the Mitchell International Business Park. The building, constructed in 1977, totals 19,800 square feet and the lease rate in $6.50 per square foot. At that rate, the lease price could be $10,725 per month with the full year costing $128,700.
The 4.62-acre property is zoned M-1 and has the ability to expand parking and the building, according to the listing on Boerke.
Rollaero opened 43 years ago and featured the largest wood roller skating rink in Wisconsin, according to James Burazin, son of Ray Burazin who was a friend of owner Ron Miller and helped him construct elements of the building.
Rollaero was built with salvaged materials, according to the letter on the company website, including wood arches which came from the Palomar Roller Rink where Ray and Judy Miller met.
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2022-08-30T14:34:41Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Rollaero skate rink property in Cudahy now available for lease
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/cudahy/2022/08/30/rollaero-skate-rink-property-cudahy-now-available-lease/7936830001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/cudahy/2022/08/30/rollaero-skate-rink-property-cudahy-now-available-lease/7936830001/
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Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon hosting new radio show for Radio Milwaukee
Justin Vernon is no stranger to the radio, but you’ve never heard him like this.
Starting Sunday, the Bon Iver frontman will host his first radio show, “Song Chest Radio Hour,” which will broadcast exclusively through WYMS-FM (88.9), aka Radio Milwaukee.
“We are going to try and spread some love, joy and acceptance through playing some songs you love and enjoy,” reads a message on the show’s website, songchest.org. “We’ll do some reading. We’ll do some chatting. And we’ll do some singing along as well.”
New episodes of the show will air at 5 p.m. Central Time the first Sunday of each month on the station’s local FM dial and its online stream at radiomilwaukee.org. Archive episodes will be available through MixCloud.
While this is a new endeavor for Vernon, the Eau Claire artist has a history of collaborations with Radio Milwaukee. They teamed up on the “For Wisconsin” voting initiative in 2020, and Vernon last year was one of the artist mentors for Radio Milwaukee’s Amplifier program.
RELATED:How Bon Iver's 'For Emma, Forever Ago' changed Justin Vernon's life, Wisconsin and the world
RELATED:The 50 Wisconsin musicians with the biggest impact over the past 100 years
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2022-08-30T14:34:47Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon to host new radio show for Radio Milwaukee
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/television-radio/2022/08/30/bon-ivers-justin-vernon-hosting-new-radio-show-radiomilwaukee-889-wyms-fm/7936158001/
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East side residents drop lawsuit seeking to block development of a 55-unit apartment building
A lawsuit seeking to block development of a 55-unit apartment building on Milwaukee's east side is being dropped.
That site now includes a vacant lot as well as St. Mark's Episcopal Church. That empty site north of the church parish hall is where the apartments would be constructed.
The Plan Commission voted 6-0 on Aug. 22 to recommend zoning approval for the apartments. The Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee could review that proposal at its Sept. 13 meeting.
Nearby residents oppose the project, saying it would be too large for the site, increase traffic congestion and make it more difficult to find on-street parking spaces.
Five opponents filed a lawsuit in Milwaukee County Circuit Court against the Plan Commission even before the commission ruled.
More:A Milwaukee east side historic district could expand to include a proposed apartment site. That creates a potential barrier to development.
The suit seeks to block the city from acting on the zoning proposal because neighborhood residents are allegedly being denied guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law.
The city's Department of Public Works reviewed those concerns and concluded such a study isn't needed — in part because a large, underused parking structure is located one-half block from the development site.
The development itself would have 67 underground parking spaces — more than required by city code.
The Plan Commission approval was granted on the condition the developers provide a traffic study at the zoning committee hearing.
Now, opponents say they are dropping the lawsuit.
"Realizing that the lawsuit we had filed August 18th (downloadable here) is complicating communication with the city, developers, and others, we are filing a motion with the court today to withdraw it," according to an update posted Monday at the opponents' website, konahackett.com.
"At least we were able to get some of our points across," it said.
The update also said opponents should not have had to sue the city to provide input.
"We realize that we are lucky to live in a neighborhood that has enough disposable income and time to organize and file a lawsuit so we can have a voice and not be ignored," it said.
Last week's five-hour Plan Commission meeting, which included a one-hour closed session to discuss the suit, was the second of three official public hearings on the project.
In addition to the upcoming zoning committee hearing, the Historic Preservation Commission on July 11 approved the building's siting, scale, form and materials.
The preservation commission held a hearing on the development because the site is within the Downer Avenue Commercial Historic District.
Also, the developers in June hosted a meeting with neighborhood residents about the project, which was publicly disclosed on June 15.
Developers Michael DeMichele and Three Leaf Development LLC, led by Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton, hope to have the building completed by March 2024.
The monthly rents would be around $2.10 per square foot. That translates to rents starting at around $1,050 for a studio unit.
The developers are buying the lot from St. Mark's, which would use the sale proceeds to help finance a new parish hall.
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2022-08-30T14:34:53Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Lawsuit seeking to block Milwaukee apartment building is dropped
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"Mark - your friendship means the world to me - let's not wreck it"
It sure sounds like Mark got left in the friend zone, and someone paid $100 for the announcement.
During Monday night's game between the Brewers and Pirates, one of the fan messages on the scoreboard caught the Internet's eye. Most are led to believe that if "Mark" had any desire to be more than just friends ... well, it's not going well.
Scoreboard messages are sold by the Brewers Community Foundation for $100, usually restricted to 35 characters. This one went over that mark, but so did other messages on the board.
Even Christian Yelich noticed, apparently, noting that Mark's misfortune fueled Milwaukee's comeback that ended on Keston Hiura's walk-off homer in the ninth.
Most responses offered their condolences to Mark.
The Phillies, by the way, had a 7-0 lead the same night against the Arizona Diamondbacks and then lost, 13-7.
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2022-08-30T14:35:05Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers scoreboard message goes viral over bad news for 'Mark'
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-scoreboard-message-goes-viral-over-bad-news-mark/7937632001/
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The Milwaukee Brewers announced that they'll be offering massive ticket discounts to celebrate the 100 millionth fan in franchise history, scheduled to walk through the gates at American Family Field on Tuesday night when the Brewers face Pittsburgh.
The club's "Thanks a (Hundred) Million" ticket offer will feature $6 tickets for the terrace or loge bleachers with an additional $6 concession/merchandise value loaded onto the ticket, for any September or October weekday (Monday-Thursday) home game, on sale from 10 a.m. Wednesday through midnight Thursday.
During the 38-hour window, fans can visit brewers.com/100million to buy up to eight tickets, and the barcodes for the tickets can be used at the concession kiosks, as well, to redeem the extra money loaded onto the ticket. The concession credits, which can also be used for merchandise, will be usable only for the date listed on the ticket.
“This milestone is a tremendous testament to the passion that Brewers fans have for their team, and we are grateful for all one hundred million of them,” said Rick Schlesinger, the Brewers president of business operations. “We have always said that Brewers fans over-deliver in their support of the team, and the best evidence of that is the sea of fans who fill American Family Field all year.”
The attendance count includes the franchise's first year in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, a total of 677,944 fans who witnessed games at Sick's Stadium. Another 45,313,910 watched Brewers games at County Stadium in the regular season, plus 387,243 for postseason games. At American Family Field, 52,903,112 have watched regular-season Brewers games, and 69,447 for the playoffs.
That leaves the franchise at 99,981,656 fans, 18,344 short of the milestone.
After the Pirates series, Milwaukee has 20 remaining home games this season, including 11 between Monday and Thursday (10 dates). Two of those will be played on the same day, a scheduled "true" doubleheader against San Francisco on Sept. 8 with just one ticket necessary for both games.
It'll be the first of its kind at the stadium, a doubleheader that features nine-inning games (and the only doubleheader that doesn't relate to COVID-19 postponements). An early-season series against the Giants was postponed when the season start was delayed by MLB labor strife, with one game played earlier this year and these two to round out the series.
All tickets initially purchased for those Giants games were refunded (and season-ticket holders were offered a refund, as well), though the Brewers expect to clear 20,000 fans for that doubleheader despite the restart on sales.
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2022-08-30T14:35:11Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee Brewers unveil ticket offer to commemorate 100 millionth fan
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/milwaukee-brewers-unveil-ticket-offer-commemorate-100-millionth-fan/7936740001/
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'This is giving us the muscle to expand:' Jilly's Car Wash four locations sell to private firm for $19 million
A Birmingham-based private equity firm is taking an ownership position in Milwaukee-based Jilly's Car Wash to propel the company's expansion throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.
TRP Capital Partners bought Jilly's and its four Milwaukee-area locations. After the purchase, an Orlando-based real estate investment trust, National Retail Properties Inc., purchased the four locations for $19 million, according to state records.
The firm also acquired the fifth location in Mequon, which is expected to begin construction in September with an estimated debut in March 2023.
"This is giving us the muscle to expand throughout the Milwaukee area," said Jon Zimmerman, co-founder of Jilly's.
"We're hoping to easily double our size in this area in the very near future," he added.
Jilly's settled on TRP because the firm agreed to let them have local control of the expansion of the brand across the region, Zimmerman said.
"We saw the car wash market is booming, and we were concerned that as a private business that we might miss out on a much bigger opportunity, so we went looking for a partner to help us achieve this goal," he explained.
The equity firm also took an ownership position in the Michigan-based Jax Kar Wash's nine operating locations last year to grow the company's expansion through new construction and other acquisitions. Jax now has 25 locations throughout Michigan, according to a news release.
Jilly's started in 2010 when Zimmeran and his wife, Jill, who the car wash was named after, bought an existing car wash in Elm Grove. They have locations in Elm Grove, Pewaukee, Brookfield and Glendale.
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2022-08-30T16:30:11Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Jilly's Car Wash sells to private equity firm TRP Capital Partners
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/2022/08/30/jillys-car-wash-sells-private-equity-firm-trp-capital-partners/7929881001/
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Yes, Shrekfest is a thing, and it's being held in Milwaukee for the first time. Here's what to know about it.
If for some reason you feel like leaving the peace and quiet of your swamp this weekend ... Shrekfest is coming to Milwaukee for the first time.
Yes, there is such a thing as Shrekfest.
And it's probably unlike any event you've heard of — or been to — before.
Like many events, it has contests. But these involve onion-eating, roaring and "Shrek" character costumes.
There will also be live music, local vendors and a screening of the movie that inspired this all.
"Come party with us," said Grant Duffrin, Shrekfest's co-founder and director. "Bring a fold-out chair, grab a beer, and listen to some awesome music. We're going to do some fun games, like the onion-eating contest, which is everyone's favorite. And then at the end of the night, we're going to watch a fantastic movie."
Duffrin and his buddies Eric Nitschke and Kevin Gonring organize the annual event under the name 3GI Industries, a local art collective also known for surreal comedy videos on its popular YouTube channel.
More:How many Shrek movies are there? The full list in order of release (plus spin offs).
The fest was put on in Madison from 2014 to 2019, Duffrin said. The event went virtual the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here's what to know about Shrekfest, from where and when it is this year to how it all got started.
When is Shrekfest?
3 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3
Where is Shrekfest held?
Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Avenue
How Shrekfest got started
"I fell for a fake Facebook event," Duffrin said.
In 2014, Duffrin said he and and his friends came across a Facebook event called Shrekfest that was going to be held in Madison.
"We were so pumped to go to it," he said.
A couple of weeks before the event, he said, they found out it was fake.
"The joke just went right over our heads," Duffrin said. "We thought it was actually a cool event."
So, they decided to bring it to life themselves.
Why it's moving from Madison to Milwaukee
Since the fake event was supposed to be held in Madison, that's where the group decided to put it on, Duffrin said.
It was held in the state's capitol from 2014 through 2019.
But since the founders live in the Milwaukee area, Duffrin said, they decided to bring it closer to home this year.
Why 'Shrek'?
"It's a great movie," Duffrin said. "And I don't even know what to say beyond that."
"What is it about 'Shrek' that seems to have so completely captured the imaginations of my generation, generations below me and generations above me?" he said. "I truly do not know what it is, but I completely agree that it does have some sort of power."
How many attendees does it attract?
The last in-person Shrekfest, in 2019, attracted about a thousand attendees, Duffrin said. He anticipates a similar turnout this year.
How to participate in contests
All three Shrekfest contests — onion-eating, roar and costume — are judged by Shrekfest's organizers. The number of people able to participate in each is limited, so attendees should sign up at the merchandise/sign-up table when they arrive to secure a spot.
The roar contest is at 4:30 p.m., the costume contest is at 5:30 p.m., and the onion-eating contest is at 7:30 p.m.
How the onion-eating contest works
You've probably heard of hot dog-eating, pie-eating and cream-puff eating contests.
So, why not onions?
The big green guy himself told Donkey that "ogres are like onions" after taking a big bite of one. And why's that? They both have layers.
The goal of the onion-eating contest: To eat an onion the fastest, Duffrin said. Usually, it takes about three rounds to declare a winner.
"You'd be surprised how difficult it is to eat one onion in one sitting," he said. "Very few people can do that. But the people who can, we find them."
When people sign up to participate, Duffrin said, they might have to eat half of an onion to prove they can do it.
The roar contest
For the roar contest, the judges are looking for "ferocity," Duffrin said.
"Usually the winners have some sort of creative approach to their roar, or maybe they just simply are the loudest," he said.
The costume contest typically has a few winners because "everyone's hitting a different niche," Duffrin said, like most creative, scariest or cutest.
Some costumes that have been memorable to Duffrin over the years have included Pinocchio with a growing nose, a half human/half ogre Princess Fiona, and his personal favorite: When someone came dressed as Doris the ugly stepsister from "Shrek 2" for the first time.
"I love the homemade ones," Duffrin said. "I love the ones where you can see they sewed it and things like that. I love the DIY costumes."
Sauce Hound performs at 3:30 p.m.; The Unitaskers perform at 5 p.m.; and Star67 performs at 6 p.m.
Screening of 'Shrek'
A screening of "Shrek" will be held at 8 p.m.
Livestream components
If you can't make it to the in-person event, you can still be a part of Shrekfest.
There will be a livestream via Twich that will feature live footage from the event, as well as bonus elements that aren't included in the physical fest.
Those online exclusives include an art show with fan-submitted artwork at 5 p.m.; a film festival with Shrek-inspired short films, music videos and cartoons at 6 p.m.; and at 8 p.m., a showing of "Shrek Retold," an immensely popular scene-for-scene crowdsourced remake of "Shrek" that 3GI was behind.
More about 'Shrek Retold'
For "Shrek Retold," more than 200 creatives, including animators, filmmakers, cartoonists, artists, puppeteers and musicians, recreated scenes from the movie.
While the film didn't come out until 2018, the idea initially came about in 2013 or 2014, Duffrin said.
In 2014, he said he reached out to creators and asked if they wanted to help remake "Shrek." But, he was mostly met with no-thank-yous, no responses or confusion.
But in 2017, after Duffrin had a few Shrekfests under his belt and also laid more groundwork for the project, he tried to make "Shrek Retold" a reality once again. This time, it gained the traction it needed.
The film, which Duffrin directed, made its debut in November 2018. Since then, it's gotten well over 9 million views on YouTube.
"It's just the power of Shrek," Duffrin said.
"Shrek 2 Retold" is in the works, with about double the people involved in the first film, Duffrin said. He said he's planning to have it released in 2023.
Shrekfest kickoff party at X-Ray Arcade
A Shrekfest kickoff party will be held at X-Ray Arcade, 5036 S. Packard Ave., Cudahy, on Friday night, according to the venue's website.
There will be a live performance from Ogre Patrol, a Shrek-themed indie duo; and a "Shrek-friendly" DJ set from County Conservation District.
There will be Shrek-themed food and drinks specials, games and more.
The party is open to all ages, and there's no cover charge, the website said. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music starts at 8.
X-Ray Arcade currently requires proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test result within 72 hours for all events, the event's Facebook page said.
Shrekfest afterparty at Indeed Brewing
A Shrekfest afterparty will be held at Indeed Brewing, 530 S. 2nd Street, on Saturday "to continue the celebration of love and life," the event's Facebook page said.
There will be Shrek board games, video games and "all the beer you can pay for."
The party is scheduled to run from 9:30 p.m. to midnight.
For more info on Shrekfest
For more information on Shrekfest and its full schedule, visit the3gi.com/shrekfest.html. To keep up with the fest on social media, here's its Facebook, facebook.com/theShrekfest, Instagram, instagram.com/theshrekfest, and Twitter, twitter.com/TheShrekfest, pages.
It ain't ogre yet: Here are more local Shrek-related events
A Shrek-themed rave
An all-ages Shrek-themed rave is being held at The Rave/ Eagles Club, 2401 W. Wisconsin Avenue, on Saturday night, according to the venue's website.
The first act is scheduled to go on at 9 p.m. "Shrek Rave" has been moved to a larger room in the venue "due to high demand," the website said.
For general admission tickets, which cost $27, or for the venue's policies, visit therave.com/concert_details.asp?id=7479.
Marcus Theatres 'Shrek' screenings
You could see "Shrek" in theaters once again — or for the first time — thanks to Marcus Theatres.
Various Marcus Theatres in Wisconsin (and beyond) will be showing the film Friday through Sept. 8.
To find which theaters will be screening the movie and on what dates/times, visit bit.ly/3Q51ki6.
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2022-08-30T16:30:17Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Shrekfest in Milwaukee: Location, time, contests and music
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/festivals/2022/08/30/shrekfest-milwaukee-location-time-contests-and-music/7924830001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/festivals/2022/08/30/shrekfest-milwaukee-location-time-contests-and-music/7924830001/
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Summerfest in Milwaukee has set its dates for 2023 — and the divisive three-weekend format is sticking around.
America's largest music festival will return to Maier Festival Park June 22 to 24, June 29 to July 1 and July 6 to 8, resembling the format of three sets of Thursdays through Saturdays that was introduced for the September 2021 festival, and which returned this past summer.
Summerfest fans have been vocal on social media about their likes and dislikes for the newer format. And with fewer days and other factors (including a postponed Justin Bieber American Family Insurance Amphitheater show), attendance fell sharply this year.
Attendance for 2022 was 445,611, up 8.8% from the 2021 edition that took place in September 2021 with COVID-related protocols during the Delta variant wave.
But the average attendance per day in 2022 was 49,500, down sharply from 2019, when per-day attendance was more than 65,000. (Summerfest's overall attendance in 2019, the last year the festival had its traditional 11-day run, was 718,144. At that point, that was the lowest recorded attendance in at least 30 years.)
By comparison, the Milwaukee area's other massive bash, the Wisconsin State Fair, reported just over 1 million patrons for 2022, up 19% from 2021.
Nevertheless, officials with Summerfest parent Milwaukee World Festival, while previously indicating the three-weekend format was an experiment, have signaled their support for the change, including a wider booking window for acts and the ability to have more big-name artists throughout each day.
The lineup is a key driving factor for people to walk through the turnstiles. In a news release Tuesday, officials said they commissioned customer surveys from SimpsonScarborough and LEGENDS, and that 85% of respondents said the headliners and lineup were the reasons they went to Summerfest.
Additionally, 80% of respondents indicated that Fridays and Saturdays were two of the three most preferred days for attending the festival. The newer format allows for an additional Friday and Saturday during the festival. (Festival officials did not disclose what the third preferred day was for attendance based on the survey results.)
"Since its inception, Summerfest's goal has been to provide a world class music festival and gathering place for the community to enjoy," Milwaukee World Festival CEO Don Smiley said in a statement. "As we celebrate our 55th anniversary, we feel fortunate to have a passionate fan base. It is important to be responsive to fans' interests by providing more opportunities to attend on weekends, bringing more national touring artists, and offering an enhanced Summerfest experience."
General-admission tickets and artist announcements will be available in the coming weeks, according to a Milwaukee World Festival press release.
One likely Summerfest-branded show for 2023 will be Bieber, although it's uncertain if it will take place during the designated festival dates. The pop superstar postponed several North American shows in June and July due to partial facial paralysis from Ramsay Hunt syndrome. His Summerfest show initially had been on the books for 2020, and had already been postponed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bieber resumed touring late last month in Italy, and has dates around the world scheduled through March. He has yet to announce new dates for the postponed North American shows.
RELATED:Summerfest's new three-weekend format is a smart move. Here are five reasons why.
RELATED:The 20 best, and 10 most disappointing, Summerfest 2022 performances in Milwaukee
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2022-08-30T18:19:29Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee Summerfest announces 2023 dates, keeps 3-weekend format
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/festivals/summerfest/2022/08/30/milwaukee-summerfest-announces-2023-dates-keeps-3-weekend-format/7939591001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/festivals/summerfest/2022/08/30/milwaukee-summerfest-announces-2023-dates-keeps-3-weekend-format/7939591001/
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Milwaukee Bucks coach Charles Lee part of 'unbelievable experience' in NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo
Charles Lee sat down to eat lunch on Saturday, which is normal under most circumstances.
This time, however, the pyramids of Giza served as a backdrop.
“Just…remarkable that I’m able to experience this,” the Milwaukee Bucks coach said over the phone from Egypt on Tuesday.
Lee arrived in Africa on Aug. 27 to tour the pyramids and Sphinx in advance of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo with a host of coaches and players, including an event-record five head coaches in Golden State’s Steve Kerr, Portland’s Chauncey Billups, Washington’s Wes Unseld Jr., Minnesota’s Chris Finch and New Orleans’ Willie Green.
It is the 18th installment of the program and something Lee had wanted to do for some time.
“I’ve always wanted to be part of this initiative and event because of what it does just for our game and what it’s doing for kids in Africa and giving them the resources and the experience to get some quality coaching, some quality game reps and some quality teaching in a four-day period,” he said. “This whole thing has just been an unbelievable experience for me to be a part of.”
Aside from coaching star power, a handful of players are participating such as former Bucks rookie of the year Malcolm Brogdon. Lee said some of the players have never traveled outside of their home areas, which he said has created a unique atmosphere from most camps.
More:A Christmas Day game vs. the Boston Celtics and a star-powered opening night matchup highlight the Bucks' 2022-23 schedule
More:Milwaukee Bucks preseason schedule released, highlighted by two games in Abu Dhabi
“This thing is like,” he paused to try and collect the words before laughing, “they come in every day excited, high-fiving, looking forward to just getting more and more teaching and attention.
“The thing that stands out for me is that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these top basketball players between the ages of 15 and 17 in Africa to get some exposure, to get some experience, to travel the continent and to have their dream of playing in the NBA kind of start here at this camp because they think this is the exposure, the experience they need to all of a sudden take their game to another level. For me, I haven’t been a part of an outreach program that is quite on this level.”
The camp drew the top 64 male and female athletes from the continent of Africa, with 14 players from NBA Academy Africa and six from the NBA Academy Africa Women’s Program. The NBA said 41 Basketball Without Borders camp alumni were on opening night rosters last season.
When he returns to Milwaukee and the Bucks resume formal work with the start of training camp at the end of September, Lee will be bringing more than photos and stories back from the offseason – he has a new title as associate head coach.
The 37-year-old was promoted when Darvin Ham accepted the head coaching job of the Los Angeles Lakers. Lee has signed a multi-year contract to remain with the Bucks under head coach Mike Budenholzer. Like Ham, Lee had been interviewed for head coaching vacancies the last few seasons.
“It’s been an exciting offseason knowing that I’m going to be coming back to an organization that’s a championship-caliber organization with people that I respect highly,” Lee said. “And the fact that I compete with these players, with this coaching staff, it’s been an exciting summer. I’m really happy for Darvin but I’m also looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow as a coach.”
The 2022-23 season will be Lee’s fifth in Milwaukee and ninth overall with Budenholzer.
“The most important thing is that no matter what the title is, I’ve been doing a lot of the responsibilities,” Lee said. “I have to continue to be me, continue to just work really hard and continue to just be the same person I’ve been and help continue to teach and send the same message that coach ‘Bud’ is delivering on a day-to-day basis. I’m a loyal, faithful servant to the team and that’s all I gotta do. You’re preparing yourself for this for a while so nothing changed that much.”
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2022-08-30T18:19:41Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee Bucks' Charles Lee at NBA’s Basketball Without Borders event
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2022/08/30/milwaukee-bucks-coach-charles-lee-part-unbelievable-experience-nbas-basketball-without-borders-camp/7938617001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2022/08/30/milwaukee-bucks-coach-charles-lee-part-unbelievable-experience-nbas-basketball-without-borders-camp/7938617001/
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Former safety Morgan Burnett will retire as a member of the Green Bay Packers
Morgan Burnett, a safety who played eight years with the Green Bay Packers and won a Super Bowl ring, will ceremonially retire as a member of the Packers, a move announced Tuesday by general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Burnett already indicated he was done playing NFL football in 2021 and hasn't played in the league since 2019.
The third-round selection in the 2010 draft played at Georgia Tech — the Packers traded up to get him — and started 102 regular-season games and 11 postseason contests with the Packers from 2010-2017. His teams won five NFC North titles, and he registered nine interceptions, 7½ sacks, nine fumble recoveries and eight forced fumbles. He led the team with 100 tackles or more in a window of four straight seasons from 2011-14.
Burnett was a rookie on the Super Bowl XLV championship team, though he'd been placed on injured reserve after just four games that season and did not appear in the playoffs.
Live blog:Green Bay Packers 2022 roster cuts updates, analysis with Tom Silverstein
More:Here's our running list of Green Bay Packers' cuts to reach the 53-man roster: Jack Heflin, Juwann Winfree, Tyler Goodson among them
He does have two interceptions in the playoffs with the Packers, including an infamous snag against Seattle in the 2014 season NFC championship game, after which he was encouraged to hit the turf by teammate Julius Peppers despite what appeared to be room to run. The Packers led at the time, 19-7, with 5:13 left in the game, and the decision came back to haunt when Seattle was able to rally and force overtime, then ultimately win the game, 28-22.
Burnett played with Pittsburgh in 2018 and Cleveland in 2019 but was released in March 2020 by the Browns and officially retired a year later.
Burnett will meet with Green Bay media on Wednesday.
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2022-08-30T18:19:47Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Former safety Morgan Burnett to retire as member of Green Bay Packers
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/08/30/former-safety-morgan-burnett-retire-member-green-bay-packers/7940374001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/08/30/former-safety-morgan-burnett-retire-member-green-bay-packers/7940374001/
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New Berlin man killed in motorcycle crash in Pewaukee
One man is dead after a motorcycle crash early Tuesday.
The 29-year-old New Berlin man was reportedly seen traveling at a high rate of speed on a motorcycle on Highway 16 near Ryan Road by a Waukesha County Sheriff's Department deputy at about 12:52 a.m.
The deputy soon found that the motorcyclist appeared to have lost control and left the roadway, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Department. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Highway 16 between Main Street and Ryan Road was closed for about four hours while the crash was being investigated by the Wisconsin State Patrol Reconstruction Unit.
Other departments that assisted included village of Pewaukee Police and the Pewaukee Fire departments.
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2022-08-30T20:06:12Z
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Motorcyclist dies after incident in Pewaukee
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/08/30/motorcyclist-dies-after-incident-pewaukee/7940619001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/08/30/motorcyclist-dies-after-incident-pewaukee/7940619001/
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On cutdown day, when NFL teams need to reach 53-man rosters, you'll often hear the caveat that this is just an initial roster and changes might still be coming. Not to mention the players who are trimmed and subsequently added to practice squads can have an impact down the line.
Even if we're just looking at the past seven years, there are several examples of Green Bay Packers who didn't make the initial roster, went unclaimed on waivers and wound up contributing significantly. Might someone on this year's cut list fit the bill?
More:How Samori Toure, Tyler Goodson and other Packers players on the bubble are coping with looming roster cuts
Here are some of the players who once found themselves on the wrong end of the 53-man roster but didn't stay there forever.
Joe Thomas, 2015
No, not the future Hall of Fame offensive lineman from Brookfield, but the linebacker. He didn't initially make the 53-man roster in 2014 or 2015 after signing as an undrafted free agent. In the first year, he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, but after the second, he briefly signed with the Cowboys before the Packers signed him back to the active roster early in 2015. Thomas went on to play three years with the Packers, appearing in 42 games with 1½ sacks and 76 tackles, and he's played for Dallas, Houston and Baltimore in the years since. He's currently with the Chicago Bears.
Lucas Patrick, 2016
While most of the final-cut coverage that year focused on the surprise departure of Josh Sitton, Green Bay also let the undrafted free-agent offensive lineman go and signed him to the practice squad. He made the final roster in 2017 and played in 12 games, with two starts, and he spent time at guard and center over five seasons with the Packers, including 28 starts over the past two years. He's with the Bears this season.
Geronimo Allison, 2016
The undrafted free agent joined the practice squad after he was cut and was promoted to the active roster in October. He finished his rookie year with 12 receptions and two touchdowns, with two starts, then spent another three years with the Packers. In all, he caught six touchdown passes with the Packers and made 89 receptions. He was with Detroit last year after opting out of the 2020 COVID-19 season.
Tyler Lancaster, 2018
The defensive tackle didn't make the cut as an undrafted free agent but joined the practice squad and wound up on the active roster by early October. He made five starts that year and 16 more over the next three seasons with the Packers, with 1½ sacks and six tackles for loss. He's now with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Allen Lazard, 2019
It's hard to believe the Packers' current No. 1 receiver was a roster cut just three years ago. Initially signed off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in 2018 (he caught one pass that year for the Packers), Lazard was waived at the end of preseason the next year and joined the Packers practice squad, where he didn't stay for long. He was promoted to the active roster on Sept. 4, and he hasn't looked back. In the last three years, he's appeared in 42 games and caught 109 passes, including 14 for touchdowns.
Yosh Nijman, 2019
Signed as an intriguing undrafted project in 2019, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle didn't make the team but joined the practice squad, then briefly came up to the active roster in November before an elbow injury that kept him from even seeing the field. But Nijman played in all 16 games of the 2020 season and then made eight starts with David Bakhtiari sidelined in 2021, and he held his own. Nijman isn't guaranteed to be a starter going forward, but his place on the roster seems secure.
Krys Barnes, 2020
Signed as an undrafted free agent, Barnes had to settle for a practice-squad spot but was promoted in 2020 to the active roster, where the linebacker immediately made his presence felt. In two seasons with the Packers, he's started 23 games, with two sacks, a forced fumble and two recoveries.
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2022-08-30T20:06:18Z
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www.jsonline.com
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These Packers were once among final cuts, then became key players
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/08/30/these-green-bay-packers-were-once-among-final-cuts-then-became-key-players/7941054001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/08/30/these-green-bay-packers-were-once-among-final-cuts-then-became-key-players/7941054001/
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Left-hander Robert Gasser, one of the two minor-league prospects acquired in the Josh Hader trade along with outfielder Esteury Ruiz, has been promoted to Class AAA Nashville.
Gasser made four starts at Class AA Biloxi since joining the organization and went 1-1 with a 2.21 earned run average and WHIP of 1.09. He also struck out 26 in 20⅓ innings and limited opposing batters to a collective .194 average.
For the season, Gasser is 5-10 with a 3.82 ERA and WHIP of 1.23 in 22 starts, the first 18 of which came at the advanced Class A level in San Diego's minor-league system.
More:Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez out of lineup with a knee injury
More:Brewers put Kolten Wong in the cleanup spot
Gasser has also struck out 141 in 110 2/3 innings.
Ruiz, meanwhile is hitting .341 with an .815 OPS and 10 stolen bases in 21 games at Nashville.
In 98 total games between Class AA and Class AAA this season, Ruiz is a .335 hitter with 13 homers, 51 RBI, a .982 OPS and 70 stolen bases – a total that leads all the minor leagues.
Ruiz also broke into the majors for the first time with the Padres, hitting .222 with a pair of RBI in 14 games in July.
"He is an unbelievable ballplayer and an even better person," Garrett Mitchell, Ruiz's teammate from the time of Ruiz's trade to Milwaukee on Aug. 2 to Mitchell's callup to the Brewers on Saturday.
"He's electric. You see what he can do on the baseball field. He's really, really fast, puts the ball in play, puts a lot of pressure on the defense. I'm excited to see what his future holds here in this organization."
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2022-08-31T01:11:58Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers pitching prospect Robert Gasser promoted to Nashville
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-pitching-prospect-robert-gasser-promoted-nashville/7944796001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-pitching-prospect-robert-gasser-promoted-nashville/7944796001/
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Kolten Wong, cleanup hitter?
Sounds weird, but that was the case Tuesday with Craig Counsell's 102nd different lineup this season that had the second baseman batting between Hunter Renfroe and Keston Hiura.
"Definitely never in pro ball," Wong said when asked the last time he'd started in the spot normally reserved for a team's best home-run hitter and/or run producer.
He's currently one of nine Brewers hitters with double-digit homers (10).
More:Rowdy Tellez out of the lineup Tuesday, but his knee pain isn't considered to be serious
"I didn't expect that," he continued. "Obviously, with Rowdy down, we've definitely got to figure out different ways to set the lineup. I'm ready for it. It's not going to change who I am as a hitter.
"I'm not going to go up there and think I can hit homers every at-bat. I'm going to try and work my way on base and if there's a situation where I've got to drive a guy in, just focus on the pitcher and try to go my job."
Wong, who hit leadoff 108 times last season, has now batted in seven of nine spots in 2022, with only the No. 2 and 3 spots yet to go.
He's hit most frequently in the leadoff spot, with 39 starts there, but has been more of a fixture in the bottom third since Yelich became the primary leadoff hitter in early June.
"It's been kind of a crazy year for me me lineup-wise," Wong said. "I try not to let it affect me too much. It's been a weird year of adjustments, but you just keep doing it."
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2022-08-31T01:11:58Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers put Kolten Wong in the cleanup spot
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-put-kolten-wong-cleanup-spot-august-30-2022/7944777001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/brewers-put-kolten-wong-cleanup-spot-august-30-2022/7944777001/
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The right-knee discomfort that forced Rowdy Tellez out of the Milwaukee Brewers' game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday was still bothering him enough Tuesday that manager Craig Counsell elected to keep him out of the lineup.
But the news wasn't all bad.
"He came in feeling pretty good," said Counsell of Tellez, who tweaked the knee running from first to home on a Hunter Renfroe double in the third inning of a 7-5 victory.
"He came in early and tested it out," Counsell continued. "I haven't talked to the trainers yet but we're not ruling out tomorrow and we're not really ruling out a pinch-hitting appearance today. I think it's probably unlikely today but we'll see how he is.
"We'd rather give him a full day off. But I don't think it's anything that's going to impact us long term."
Tellez, who missed 17 games last September with a right patella strain, leads the Brewers in home runs with 27 and ranks second on the team with 75 runs batted in – numbers that aren't easily replaceable.
Fortunately for Milwaukee, Tellez's absence at first base creates an obvious spot for Keston Hiura, who stepped in at first base on Monday and eventually walked off the Pirates with a two-run homer in the ninth.
Hiura, hitting .288 with nine homers, 15 RBI and a 1.011 OPS over his last 27 games, was back at first and hitting fifth Tuesday.
"It’s going to put Keston in there," Counsell said. "We feel like because he’s been swinging it well, we can put another good bat in the lineup."
In addition to being one of Milwaukee's top run producers, Tellez has also been a fixture in the lineup with 121 games played – two behind team leader Christian Yelich after Tuesday's game – and 107 starts (102 at first base and five at designated hitter).
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2022-08-31T01:11:59Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez out of lineup with a knee injury
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/rowdy-tellez-out-tuesday-but-his-knee-issue-shouldnt-long-term/7937945001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/08/30/rowdy-tellez-out-tuesday-but-his-knee-issue-shouldnt-long-term/7937945001/
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Without a single cut, lung valve procedure helps emphysema patients breathe easier. The only problem: Not enough people know about it.
About two years ago, John McLees' lungs had become so badly damaged that he could barely get from one side of his small condo to the other without feeling like he'd just finished an intense workout.
McLees, of Germantown, was born with a genetic condition called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, which increases his risk of developing lung and liver disease.
As he aged, the condition ravaged those organs, as feared. In 1999, he got a liver transplant. A secondary benefit of the transplant was that it stopped the mounting damage on McLees' lungs.
But it could not reverse the 60 years of damage already done. He was well on the path to developing severe emphysema, a disease that ruins the wall structures of the lungs, making it so air gets trapped inside and they overfill.
McLees went from only having to wear an oxygen tube at night to having to wear it 24 hours a day. He struggled to walk short distances, much less exercise. His sedentary lifestyle further worsened his health and his relationships.
He felt like a burden, avoiding birthday parties for many of his 36 grandchildren. He missed baseball games and school concerts, he said, feeling like having him around was a "pain in the neck" to his loved ones. He even attended church from home, watching alone on TV.
McLees' wife had died decades ago, shortly after his liver transplant, making it even more isolating.
"I've always been a very positive thinking person. So, I didn't let it drag me into a depression," he said. "And the kids stopped by, but even them stopping by and little ones coming into the house, I wasn't able to participate. You know, I'd sit there and watch."
More:Wisconsin man desperately needed a kidney. His donor was not just his friend, it was his longtime doctor.
More:UW Health to use new device that sits cancer patients upright for radiation therapy. It could be a game-changer.
Several years ago, patients like McLees would have had few options. After inhalers, oxygen pumps and pulmonary rehab ultimately stopped working, the only options left used to be major surgery: a lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery, which removes damaged portions of the lungs.
Instead, about 18 months ago, McLees' doctors at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin presented him with a middle option — one that wouldn't require a single cut, and could easily be reversed if it didn't work.
By placing tiny, one-way valves in the air passages that lead to the most damaged parts of his lungs, doctors could essentially take an entire section offline to allow the healthier parts of his lungs to work better. The valves, which expand to fit right in the passageways, only let air out, not in, causing the damaged section to deflate and not fill again.
"It's less invasive, and it can have just an incredible impact," Dr. Jonathan Kurman, an interventional pulmonologist with the Froedtert and MCW health network, said of the prodecure, called bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.
For the patients for whom the procedure works, many of whom are of older age, the valves can bring a chance to return to who they were perhaps a decade earlier, before chronic lung disease kept them from being able to walk through a grocery store or make it upstairs to their bedroom.
"It's stuff that a lot of us take for granted, but when you can't do it, it really impacts your life," Kurman said.
It didn't take too much explaining for McLees, now 80, to decide that "all signals were go."
"When you get down to a point when you can't walk 30 feet without losing your breath, if someone throws an inner tube at you, you're going to grab it," he said.
Trying to spread awareness
In a dimly lit procedure suite on Froedtert Hospital's campus, Kurman peered through safety glasses at a TV screen as he clutched several tubes that were coming out of his patient's mouth.
The patient, 78-year-old Roger Rose, was sedated. Kurman's first task was to snake a camera down Rose's windpipe and into the intricately branched airways of his lungs, to scope out the best spot for the valves.
(The Journal Sentinel observed the procedure with permission from Rose and the hospital.)
Overall, most of the valve procedures only take about a half hour, and don't even require a sterile surgery suite. The average person gets four to six valves, which expand and sit in the airways without any stiches or cuts.
Patients stay in the hospital for a couple of days after the procedure for observation. Then they're released and monitored for some time. If for any reason the valves don't work, they can be easily removed in minutes, Kurman said.
Among Kurman's team of experts were two contractors from the company that created the valves he was using, California-based Pulmonx. The consultants talked with the doctor about which locations looked like the best to place a valve and helped him pick a valve size.
Then, one by one, Kurman deployed the valves, which are about the size of a fingernail when expanded. Nestled in Rose's airway, they showed no movement except for the subtle puckering of a small slit through which any air left in that part of the lung would escape.
According to data from Pulmonx, globally, some 25,000 patients have received the valves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the technology in 2018, and there are 250 hospitals using Pulmonx's valves in the U.S., including five in Wisconsin.
Froedtert, under Kurman's leadership, was one of the first in the state to start offering the procedure. The health system has completed the most valve procedures in the state — nearly 100 since they started up in November 2019 — and also ranks third in the Midwest and eighth in the country for how many times the procedure has been performed.
The procedure is covered by most insurances; Kurman has never had a situation where insurance providers did not cover a patient who qualified. Despite that, and even though the valves have been used in Europe for about 15 years, the procedure is relatively a "newborn" in the U.S, Kurman said.
To Kurman's surprise, the lack of awareness among other doctors about the valves has led to many patients coming to his office after doing their own research and self-advocacy. Many learn about the valves online or on social media, in several cases through a 5,400-member-strong Facebook group called "Lung Valves For Friends."
"A lot of it is patient initiated, and it's different from everything else that I do in that sense," Kurman said. "Everything else is doctor-driven."
He wants more doctors and patients to know it's an option, he said.
"So many of (my patients say), 'I wish I had heard about this a couple of years ago,' or 'How come no one's talked about this before?'" he said. "So, one of my big initiatives is just to try to increase awareness among patients and providers that this is available. It's not a trial anymore. It's not experimental anymore. It is very safe."
In Rose's case, the valves were successfully placed to deflate the entire upper left lobe of his lung. In effect, Kurman told his team, he'd performed a lobectomy, a major surgery in which a whole lobe of a lung is removed. But in this case, it was all done without a single cut.
Relative but significant improvements
Patients and caregivers of patients who have emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can learn more about the valves by speaking with their doctor.
More than 3 million people in the U.S. have emphysema, according to the American Lung Association. While there are other causes of emphysema, like McLees' genetic condition, the No. 1 cause for the disease is smoking, and because of that, it is considered to be highly preventable.
Before performing the procedure, doctors will do certain tests to make sure that patients qualify, including confirming the patient doesn't have other complicating conditions, like cancer or heart disease. Then they will perform a CT scan, breathing test and ultrasound of the heart. They'll also evaluate the patient's lung tissue before the prodecure.
Even when patients don't qualify, Kurman said, it can be worth getting evaluated because they could qualify in the future if their situation worsens, or they could be a fit for other trial treatments or options.
Procedures like bronchoscopic lung volume reduction are part of a larger push in medicine toward less invasive treatments. The procedure gives patients who've spent years struggling with lung disease an option between medicines and major surgery.
"When you need surgical intervention, you need it," Kurman said. "But if you can accomplish the same thing or something very close without surgery, I think that that's the appropriate way to start."
The procedure is not a miracle cure, Kurman noted.
Not everyone responds to the procedure well, he said, and even if they do, it is not the type of thing that would have people back to when they were teenagers.
"I'm very up front with (patients) that we're not dealing with definitives, we're dealing in relatives," he said.
But even with that in mind, the valves can make a big difference.
For McLees, the relative improvement has given him a bit of his life back.
He still has to wear an oxygen tube but is down to a 3-liter tank instead of a 5-liter one. Sometimes, he can pull the tube off while he makes a stop at the supermarket to quickly grab something he needs. He can be present and active around his kids and grandkids. He can hold a phone conversation for more than 30 seconds.
"It's been a phenomenal change in my life," he said.
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2022-08-31T11:48:04Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin lead way in lung procedure
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/08/31/froedtert-and-medical-college-wisconsin-lead-way-lung-valve-procedure/7870262001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/08/31/froedtert-and-medical-college-wisconsin-lead-way-lung-valve-procedure/7870262001/
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The funeral Mass for former Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland drew hundreds of supporters Tuesday, including those who said they were praying for forgiveness and mercy for the man who led the Milwaukee archdiocese for 25 years.
The Mass also drew advocates for survivors of clergy abuse. They said Weakland did not deserve a public funeral at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist because he helped cover up sexual abuse in the church.
The Vatican granted his retirement promptly after he admitted he had used $450,000 in church funds to buy the silence of a former graduate student who years later accused him publicly of date rape.
Then, in 2008, Weakland admitted in a state court deposition that he shredded copies of sex abuse documents, failed to notify law enforcement officials and moved sexually abusive priests from parish to parish without warning members of their histories.
The Rev. Steven Avella — a Marquette University professor and historian — presided over the Mass. It drew about 400 people, including large numbers of priests and Catholic sisters.
In his homily, Avella referenced Weakland's history.
"Hanging over this particular funeral are the memories of his mistakes, which were there for everyone to see. Some were personal to him, others shared by his fellow bishops and priests. We are grateful for the time he spent with us.
"Many of us loved him, and some did not. We can not dismiss their just anger even as we try to make sense of it all. People were hurt, lives shattered and disillusioned," he said.
His remarks continued:
"With the perks and power of leadership comes the burden of accountability for serious mistakes. For us here in Milwaukee, these things still need to work themselves out. Grief and anger have no time table. Neither do forgiveness and reconciliation."
The assembly broke into applause when Avella finished his homily.
Just three hours before the Mass was set to begin, archdiocese officials barred news reporters from attending the Mass. On Monday, they had said reporters would be allowed.
"In an effort to reduce the additional pain that sexual abuse survivors may experience from exposure to the current level of media publicity, we’re making a change and the funeral Mass will be closed to the media," said Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for the current archbishop, Jerome Listecki.
Then, the Mass was livestreamed on the cathedral's YouTube page.
More:Anti-clergy abuse advocates slam public funeral at cathedral for former Archbishop Weakland
'Not going to cast any stones'
Few who attended Weakland's visitation wanted to speak publicly to a reporter. But those who did said they believe it is important to forgive people.
"He's done his penance, he's suffered long years. That doesn't condone the sin. It does ask for forgiveness. And that's what we're supposed to be about," said Michaelina Young, before walking away.
A woman who only gave her first name, Diane, said she was "not going to cast any stones."
"God is more kind, loving and merciful than us human beings," she said. "It's too bad as human beings we can't be more kind to each other, and loving and have mercy, and forgiving."
Others remembered Weakland as a kind man who supported outcast groups.
Weakland reached "out to all of those people who were most vulnerable, women, gay Catholics, in a personal way," an Illinois man said. "So that they felt included, cared for and valued."
The man, who asked not to be named, is gay himself and said Weakland cared for his family.
"He also, as a priest and as a bishop, cared for members of his flock that were gay," he said.
The man also said he didn't want to dismiss those victimized by the church, but he respected that Weakland had acknowledged his actions.
"He took responsibility for those decisions and he did so very publicly," he said.
Judith Gregor, a lay associate with the School Sisters of Notre Dame, said she respected Weakland’s pastoral letter, "Eucharist Without Walls," about bringing Christ into daily life.
She also said she is praying for everyone’s mercy and that “we do a better job.”
“I’m praying for mercy that we build up each other, and develop healthy relationships and learn how to better understand each other and love each other,” she said.
Dozens of priests, religious sisters in attendance
Among those entering the cathedral ahead of Mass were dozens of Catholic sisters and priests. Many were dressed in black and held white robes to concelebrate with Avella.
Most walked in quickly past television cameras and survivor advocates, who had set up displays and signs outside the cathedral in protest. Security guards were stationed outside the cathedral doors.
The group Nate's Mission tied to a fence photos of 80 abusive priests under Weakland's tenure. Organizers also displayed photos of survivors as children and some of their personal items, such as candles and prayer books.
James Egan, a former Milwaukee seminarian who now heads an Illinois-based survivor advocacy group, said he felt sad to see old classmates and priests he knew walk into the cathedral.
“It really shows their character,” Egan said. “It shows their lack of commitment, really, to keeping children safe, and that they are looking the other way. They’re not being of service, they’re not being neighbors.”
During the Mass, a prayer of intercession was offered for survivors of child sexual abuse.
For those with painful memories of clergy abuse: "May God heal their wounds, free their hearts from fear and indignation, and open ways for them to grow and live life fully. And may all of us be instruments of healing as we promise to protect and pledge to heal those who are most vulnerable, we pray, Lord hear our prayer."
A woman who lives close to the cathedral and who asked to be referred to only by her first name, Mary, said she knew several of the abusive priests whose photos advocates hung on a fence outside the cathedral.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” she said.
As she observed from the sidewalk, she noted that former archdiocesan lawyer Matthew Flynn arrived. She also watched as an older woman shouted at victim advocates — “Just give it a rest” — and gave a rude gesture to a man standing silently on the sidewalk with a sign that read “What about survivors?”
The man with the sign was Chris O’Leary, a St. Louis resident and priest abuse survivor, who drove to Milwaukee Tuesday morning. He stood for four hours with his sign outside the cathedral.
He said he was not protesting, but holding vigil. He wants lay Catholics to "understand that the problems still exist, and the magnitude of the problem." He wants them to take a more active role in rooting out complacency to abuse.
"I think nothing is going to change if the pressure stops. The laity have to keep on the pressure," O'Leary said.
He said one of the priests walking into the funeral stopped to tell him, “I’m not forgetting survivors. But I also think it’s important to remember and pray for mercy.”
Legacy as liberal bishop followed by scandal
Long considered one of America's most prominent liberal bishops, Weakland's legacy could be seen in his own funeral.
He had a hand in shaping the modern-day liturgy during Vatican II in the 1960s and led the controversial renovation of the cathedral in the early 2000s.
He began his adult life at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he professed as a monk and went on to lead as archabbot.
In 1967, at the age of 40, he was elected abbot primate for the Benedictine Confederation — the body that oversees all Benedictine congregations and monasteries worldwide — and became close to Pope Paul VI.
Weakland later wrote that during the Vatican II process, he participated in what were effectively test Masses with Pope Paul to practice the new liturgy, reimagined from the Latin version.
Then, he said, he was part of a small group that offered the pope feedback in his offices.
The Mass as it was celebrated at Tuesday's funeral was a product of that Vatican II process.
As Milwaukee archbishop, a position he began in 1977, Weakland was a divisive figure. He championed an expanded role for women and laity in the church and thought the door should be left open to ordaining women.
He also was known for building bridges with other religions and reaching out to Catholics who felt disconnected from their church. He helped found and fund the Milwaukee AIDS Project. He conducted highly publicized listening sessions in an effort to understand Catholic women's views on abortion.
Near the end of his tenure, Weakland shepherded a radical remodeling of the interior of the cathedral to modernize and reconfigure it.
Weakland submitted retirement paperwork when he turned 75 in 2002, as required by church law, but continued serving. The following month, news broke that he had paid $450,000 to buy the silence of the former graduate student who had accused him of sexual assault.
He initially said he had raised enough money in speaking fees, gifts and honorariums over 25 years to more than equal the $450,000 settlement, but he later acknowledged he'd made only about $200,000 and the rest came from archdiocese funds.
Supporters quickly raised over $300,000 to cover the difference, and federal authorities said they wouldn't charge him over the use of donors' money.
Weakland was living in a south-side senior living facility when in 2008 he spoke in a deposition about his handling of sex abuse cases within the archdiocese.
He acknowledged that he moved abusive priests to other parishes without warning members because "no parish would have accepted a priest unless you could say that he has gone through the kind of psychological examination and that he’s not a risk to the parish."
He would come out as gay — possibly the first Catholic bishop to voluntarily do so — in his 2009 memoir “A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church."
Then, in 2019, in response to pressure from church abuse victims and faithful, the archdiocese removed Weakland's name from the pastoral center at the cathedral as well as a sculpture inside depicting Weakland shepherding small children.
In remarks at the Mass, Listecki said Catholics can find peace in God's forgiveness.
"We know that in 25 years in shepherding — I know in the past decade of my own shepherding — you make mistakes. Mistakes are made, errors are made, judgements are made.
"But we do so in the shadow of the cross, and we hold that cross before us because in that cross always is God’s loving forgiveness and mercy."
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2022-08-31T11:48:10Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Former Milwaukee Archbishop Weakland remembered at funeral Mass
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/former-milwaukee-archbishop-weakland-remembered-funeral-mass/7929433001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2022/08/31/former-milwaukee-archbishop-weakland-remembered-funeral-mass/7929433001/
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WASHINGTON – For months, Sen. Ron Johnson has drawn scrutiny for his office’s role in attempting to deliver false packets of electors to former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6.
While the Oshkosh Republican continues to downplay his office’s connection to the effort, saying his participation lasted just seconds, one of Wisconsin’s false electors has been working on Johnson’s reelection campaign.
Pam Travis, one of 10 Wisconsin Republicans who signed official-looking paperwork falsely claiming to be a presidential elector in 2020, has been a full-time staffer on Johnson’s competitive reelection bid since March 2022, according to the woman’s LinkedIn profile.
Federal Election Commission reports indicate Johnson’s campaign paid Travis more than $10,200 for her work since April, and the campaign reimbursed Travis for just over $3,500 in mileage costs between May and July.
Travis is active in Wisconsin politics. She serves as the GOP’s 7th Congressional District’s vice chair and is the former treasurer of the Wisconsin Federation of Republican Women. In May, Travis was secretary for the party's state convention — introduced by U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil as a “longtime grassroots" supporter.
Now a grassroots organizer for Johnson, Travis was also a county coordinator for the senator during his 2016 campaign.
She is not the only so-called alternate elector from Wisconsin to get involved in a campaign this midterm cycle.
Former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Andrew Hitt served as campaign chairman for Adam Jarchow’s attorney general bid. Jarchow narrowly lost the Republican primary to Eric Toney.
Bill Feehan, chairman of the La Crosse County Republican Party who also signed the false election paperwork, sat on an advisory board for former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch's gubernatorial campaign. Kleefisch lost her primary to construction executive Tim Michels.
Travis' work on Johnson's current race against Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, however, comes amid revelations this summer that Johnson's office communicated with Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly's team to try to hand Pence false elector paperwork from Wisconsin and Michigan as part of former President Donald Trump's effort to stop certification of the 2020 election.
A Pence aide told Johnson's chief of staff not to give Pence the documents shortly before Congress was set to certify Joe Biden's election win, and the electors were never delivered.
Still, Johnson has come under fire for his office's connection to the effort. On Tuesday, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Phil Shulman said: "Instead of focusing on what's best for Wisconsinites — lowering costs and supporting the creation of good paying jobs — Ron Johnson's working to undermine democracy."
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison, said her Republican counterpart's actions amounted to "direct support for Trump's conspiracy to overturn the will of the people in Wisconsin."
Travis in a phone call with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel declined to answer questions about her work for Johnson and referred inquiries to Johnson’s campaign.
In a statement, Johnson campaign spokesman Ben Voelkel called Travis a "dedicated volunteer who has been active in the Republican Party grassroots for years," adding that the campaign is "proud to have her on the team."
"It is really sad that Mandela Barnes supporters are going as low as to levy a baseless attack against a private citizen while Barnes himself dodges media scrutiny on a near-daily basis," Voelkel said.
Johnson himself has repeatedly downplayed his involvement in the effort to pass to Pence the false electors.
When asked during a campaign stop last week if he would testify before the House select committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol about Wisconsin’s slate of false electors, Johnson said he “had nothing to do with Jan. 6.”
“Another grotesque distortion,” Johnson told WISN’s Matt Smith. “I had nothing to do with the alternate slate. I had no idea that anybody was going to ask me to deliver those.”
“My involvement in that attempt to deliver spanned the course of a couple seconds,” Johnson said. “I think I fielded three texts and sent two and talked to my chief of staff that somebody wants you to deliver something.”
He added: “I knew nothing about it, and in the end, those electors were not delivered because we found out from the vice president’s staff they didn’t want them delivered. End of story.”
Jan. 6 committee Chairman Bennie Thompson told the Journal Sentinel in June that Johnson’s connections to the false electors were not a priority for the group. Further investigation into those electors in Wisconsin and six other states, Thompson said, is being pursued by the Department of Justice.
The DOJ has subpoenaed a number of people connected to the elector scheme as part of its probe in multiple states, including some of the false electors themselves.
Two of Wisconsin's false electors, Hitt, the former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman, and the GOP's 8th Congressional District chairwoman Kelly Ruh, were ordered in January to testify in front of the Jan. 6 committee.
Some of Wisconsin’s Republican electors have argued they were following legal advice and directives of the Trump campaign in the event the now-failed court battles over the election were decided in favor of Trump.
It is not clear whether any of Wisconsin’s 10 electors have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department.
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2022-08-31T11:48:16Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Ron Johnson reelection campaign employs a Wisconsin GOP false elector
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/31/ron-johnson-reelection-campaign-employs-wisconsin-gop-false-elector/7906015001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/31/ron-johnson-reelection-campaign-employs-wisconsin-gop-false-elector/7906015001/
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Wauwatosa restaurateur is being sued over licensing fees for music played at Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has filed a lawsuit against the owner of Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub in Wauwatosa, alleging Dan Zierath has infringed on copyright laws by playing music in his restaurants without the proper license to do so.
The group, which filed the suit Aug. 23 in federal court, said it has been in contact with Zierath since 2020 in an attempt to make the licensing process as easy as possible.
“It's important to note we usually don't have this problem. Most restaurants are willing to pay the reasonable fee that we charge; however, Mr. Zierath has refused to do so, and though we see suits as the last option, we felt like that was the only decision to make at this point,” said Jackson Wagener, an attorney from ASCAP.
The attorney representing Zierath, Aaron Hall, said he and his client are reviewing the allegations and will respond to them before the lawsuit's deadline in early September. Until then, Hall said that neither he nor Zierath would comment.
ASCAP is confident it will win the case and stated that almost all the disputes that lead to its lawsuits end up being settled before they go to court.
“Frankly, the law is pretty black and white here. There is clear copyright infringement because of Mr. Zierath's failure to pay the fee,” Wagener said.
What is ASCAP, and what does it do?
ASCAP's goal is to ensure that more than 875,000 writers worldwide are fairly compensated for the use of their work. This is done by using copyright law to ensure restaurants and other venues that use music from those writer pay for licenses authorizing them to play that music.
Wagener said if you hear a restaurant playing music, "it is almost a virtual certainty that you are listening to an artist represented by ASCAP.”
About 90% of the funds generated by the purchased licenses are distributed to the artists.
“These are people who are relying on the art they produce to put food on the table, so we are just trying to ensure that they are fairly compensated for the work they have done,” said Wagener.
The average yearly licensing fee that a venue pays is about $750, Wagener said; however, because Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub in Wauwatosa is larger than the average venue, Wagener said its fee would likely be $2,500.
ASCAP said that currently none of Zierath’s or his daughter's restaurants pay for music, but the organization hopes this single lawsuit will settle all disputes it has with the family.
Zierath is no stranger to controversy
Zierath is no stranger to controversy. He was convicted of misdemeanor criminal damage with a domestic abuse modifier in 2021 in connection with charges filed in 2019 that accused him of smashing a window on his ex-girlfriend's car and denting the top of it during a verbal altercation. A felony charge and two other misdemeanors were dismissed but read into the record.
In 2020, Zierath made headlines as he vowed to defy Gov. Tony Ever’s lockdown rules and reopen his restaurant during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. He later reconsidered that decision and didn't follow through on the opening.
Also in 2020, the city of Wauwatosa told Zierath his restaurant would not be allowed to hold its annual Jacksonfest as a result of five complaints reported to police that stemmed from the 2019 rendition of the event.
In 2021, Zierath was involved in a lengthy back and forth with the city over his proposed upscale Mexican Restaurant Hermanas. The city was reluctant to approve the restaurant, citing the swirl of public controversy that surrounds Zierath. After twice denying the restaurant, it was eventually approved.
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2022-08-31T14:55:31Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Wauwatosa restaurateur sued after refusal to pay for music rights
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/2022/08/31/wauwatosa-restaurateur-sued-after-refusal-pay-music-rights/7933749001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/2022/08/31/wauwatosa-restaurateur-sued-after-refusal-pay-music-rights/7933749001/
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Menomonee Falls Downtown has added a Fall Harvest Festival and Christmas in the Falls this year. Here’s what you need to know.
After seeing thousands of people attend the downtown Menomonee Falls events in the past two years, Menomonee Falls Downtown has announced two new events scheduled for this year: Fall Harvest Festival and Christmas in the Falls.
Fall Harvest Festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 at Mill Pond Park, between Main Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Menomonee Falls.
Christmas in the Falls comprises four holiday events throughout the season.
"The events help the downtown," said Cailyn Kison, social media manager for Menomonee Falls Downtown.
Kison said the Menomonee Falls Downtown Board opted for a harvest festival over an Oktoberfest celebration.
"We wanted this to be more family oriented," Kison explained.
Kison also said that some nearby communities already have Oktoberfest, and the Downtown organization wanted to do something different. "The Harvest Festival will be in the heart of the downtown, and it gets people walking up and down the street by the businesses," she said.
The event will include fall-themed activities such as a chili cookoff and pumpkin painting. There will also be booths with local vendors, a pet costume contest, seasonal beers and live music.
More:Downtown Menomonee Falls grows again with addition of Babe Beauty Co. and Forte Films + Skills
Christmas in the Falls
Downtown business leaders want Menomonee Falls to be a destination place for the holiday season, Kison said, and are organizing four holiday events as part of Christmas in the Falls.
Downtown businesses are scheduled to once again do Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26.
New this year, St. Nick Saturday is Dec. 3; participating downtown businesses will specialize in selling stocking stuffers.
With the addition of a Christkindl Market from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 10, many people should be able to support the small downtown businesses during the holiday season. The market will include German and Christmas vendors at Main Street and Appleton Avenue and Centennial Plaza.
"There will be some vendors inside and outside," she noted. She also said there will be German music, German foods and a place where people can take a picture with Santa at his workshop next to Centennial Plaza.
Holiday Helpers Saturday will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 17. "Elves," mostly high school students, will help shoppers select last-minute gifts and provide free gift wrapping at Henrizi Schneider Legion Post No. 382., N88 W16652 Main St.
"We want people to experience what the local shops have to offer," said Kison.
The new events join other successful events in the downtown area, such as the Lavender Festival, Memorial Fest, trick-or-treating, an Easter event and annual Art Walk.
"Menomonee Falls has become an exciting and dynamic destination village in the truest sense and largely due to the revitalization efforts that have brought in new businesses and residential living. And the transformation of our Village Park has allowed us to expand the number and types of events that would not have been previously possible," said Village President Dave Glasgow.
"The sheer diversity of these events in our village — ranging from concerts in the park, (the) art festival, Lavender Fest in July, Falls Memorial Fest and many others provide opportunities for residents and visitors throughout the year to come together as a community," he said.
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2022-08-31T14:55:43Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Fall Harvest Festival and Christkindl Market coming to Menomonee Falls
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/08/31/fall-harvest-festival-and-christkindl-market-coming-menomonee-falls/7943907001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/08/31/fall-harvest-festival-and-christkindl-market-coming-menomonee-falls/7943907001/
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Pewaukee-based builder is proposing to build about 365 housing units on Silver Spring Golf Club in Menomonee Falls
A residential developer plans to build a subdivision of about 365 housing units on 228 acres at the Silver Spring Golf Club in Menomonee Falls.
Pewaukee-based residential real estate developer Neumann Developments Inc. is under contract to buy the golf course and banquet facility at N56 W21318 Silver Spring Drive. The purchase should close by November.
Neumann Developments President Steve DeCleene said that while the developer builds on the southern end of the area, the Silver Spring Golf Club and banquet facility will remain operational, run by the development company. This part will take about three to four years, he said.
He said that when the northern area starts to develop, the golf course will close permanently, but the banquet facility will stay open.
"I expect the banquet facility to be open forever," he said. "We want to keep it open. Many people are looking for a nice spot. We want it to have a more active use." One option might be running it more as a restaurant, in addition to hosting special events, he said.
On Aug. 15, the developer proposed two lot sizes, but Village Board members rejected the idea and recommended all lots be the same size, at about 11,700 square feet.
The development company is expected to present a plan with those lot sizes at the Sept. 13 Plan Commission meeting.
DeCleene said there will be about 127 housing units on the southern end of the development, 95 of them two-story townhomes. The northern end has been approved for 240 homes, none of them townhomes.
Prices are expected to be $600,000 a home, and $450,000 for townhomes.
He also said that all the homes will be in the Hamilton School District. "It is a great district, and they do a great job in handling the growth, and they own land (to build on). They do a great job," he said.
Hamilton School District Superintendent Paul Mielke said a community advisory committee analyzes the growth of the district. "We respond to the needs of the community. We are good, space wise, and we have land available (to expand)," he said. "We are in the position to handle it."
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2022-08-31T14:55:49Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Neumann Developments is proposing a subdivision at a Falls golf club
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/sussex/2022/08/31/neumann-developments-proposing-subdivision-falls-golf-club/7934377001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/sussex/2022/08/31/neumann-developments-proposing-subdivision-falls-golf-club/7934377001/
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1. Harley-Davidson Hometown Rally
The 2022 edition of the Hometown Rally, the annual gathering of Harley-Davidson riders and bike fans, returns to the Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., and the Milwaukee area's six Harley dealerships Sept. 1 through Sept. 5. Food, music, demo rides, performance and stunt exhibitions abound at most locations. Admission is free. For info: harley-davidson.com.
2. Shrekfest
Shrekfest, an outdoor music and art festival hosted by art collective 3GI Industries, camps out Sept. 3 from 3 to 9:30 p.m. in Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave. There's live music, games (including an onion-eating contest) and, capping off the proceedings, a screening of the 2001 animated favorite "Shrek." Dressing up as your favorite character from the movie isn't required but encouraged. Admission is free. (Shrekfest, which has been going on since 2014 but is being held in Milwaukee for the first time, is also being streamed live on Twitch: twitch.tv/the3gi). Info: the3gi.com/shrekfest.html.
RELATED:Yes, Shrekfest is a thing, and it's being held in Milwaukee for the first time. Here's what to know about it.
3. Wisconsin Highland Games
The 2022 Wisconsin Highland Games celebrate all things Scottish Sept. 2-4 at the Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha. The opening ceremonies are 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 2, with the games and other activities, from longbow competitions to the Haggis Hurl, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 3 and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 4. Info: wisconsinscottish.org/wisconsin-highland-games.
4. Third Wart Art Festival
The 10th Third Ward Art Festival returns from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 3-4. Work by more than 130 juried artists will be on display (and for sale) on North Broadway south of St. Paul Avenue. There'll be kids' activities, live music on two stages, and food and drink options. Admission is free. Info: amdurproductions.com.
5. Laborfest
Laborfest, the annual Labor Day celebration, returns to Maier Festival Park at noon Sept. 5, with live music, children's entertainment, a classic car show and more. Admission is free. Before the fest, union members will march and ride in a parade from Zeidler Union Square, 301 W. Michigan St., to the Summerfest grounds. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Info: milwaukeelabor.org/laborfest.
RELATED:President Joe Biden will visit Milwaukee on Labor Day, speak at Laborfest just over two months before the elections
More:'J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript' at Marquette University shows how he created 'Lord of the Rings' a page at a time
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2022-08-31T14:55:55Z
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www.jsonline.com
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5 things to do in Milwaukee during Labor Day weekend
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/08/31/5-things-do-milwaukee-during-labor-day-weekend-shrekfest-harley-davidson-hometown-rally/7886389001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/08/31/5-things-do-milwaukee-during-labor-day-weekend-shrekfest-harley-davidson-hometown-rally/7886389001/
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Lettie's journey: How a Wisconsin family found help for a child born blind
Crocker Stephenson
Jill Smith was 20 weeks pregnant when, four days before Christmas 2018, she and her husband, Grant, stopped at their doctor’s office in Madison for a routine ultrasound. The plan was to then drive directly to the home of Jill’s parents, who live about four hours north in Amery.
Jill and Grant would make that trip.
But it would be delayed.
It was discovered during the ultrasound and a subsequent MRI that their daughter, whom they would name Lettie, had not developed eyes or even optic nerves, the results of a rare SOX2 genetic disorder.
And so, with their lives so unexpectedly altered, Jill and Grant drove to Amery.
“There was a lot of silence,” Grant recalled recently.
The effects of childhood blindness are profound.
Without access to skilled services, kids can struggle to form concepts of even the most elemental attributes of their world.
“The impact a visual impairment on development, particularly in babies and toddlers, is substantial and pervasive,” said Terri Davis, executive director of Vision Forward Association.
When I was diagnosed with a retinal disease in my late 50s and began to lose my eyesight, it was the staff at Vision Forward that enabled me to continue my work as a reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
I am now retired and volunteer on Vision Forward’s board of directors.
“As much as 90% of what children learn in the first years of life is acquired visually,” Terri Davis said.
Without proper intervention, visually impaired children exhibit dramatic developmental delays in social, cognitive, motor and communication skills, she said.
Visually impaired children “have a wider gap in literacy and are often less independent in daily self-help skills,” she said.
“Upon transition to school, children need more special education support and spend less time in the classroom with typically developing peers.”
Over the months of Jill’s pregnancy, she and Grant tried to imagine what their child’s life was going to be like.
Jill is a pediatric nurse. Grant co-owns his own businesses. Neither had ever even known anyone who was blind.
Grant asked co-workers and friends.
They hadn’t either.
How could that be, the Smiths wondered. Blindness can’t be so rare.
“We are bound and determined to make sure people know who Lettie is,” Grant said.
Lettie was born on April 10, 2019.
She was four weeks premature but weighed a healthy 6 pounds. After a few weeks in the NICU, the Smiths brought their daughter home.
The Dane County Birth to 3 Program contacted the family. Jill and Grant were put in touch with a vision specialist, who after a few contacts, went on maternity leave and, due to shortage of teachers of the visually impaired, wasn’t replaced.
Jill received a call from Erica Weise, a social worker at Vision Forward who was following up on a referral the agency had received from one of Lettie’s doctors.
Erica spoke to Jill about Vision Forward’s services. Terrific, Jill thought. This sounds like exactly what Lettie needs.
It wasn’t until the conversation was all but over that Erica mentioned to Jill that she herself was blind.
“This is how important that call was,” Grant said.
“Not only just because someone was reaching out,” he said, “but also because of how normal she sounded, the fact that she was in a profession.”
“We just didn’t know anybody with a visual impairment,” Jill said. “She was the first person I interacted with.”
Grant said: “So much of what was weighing on our minds — and I hate to use the word “normal” — but we want to give Lettie as normal of a life as possible. And the woman Jill spoke to on the phone that day, she seemed to have a normal life.”
As important as early intervention is, blind and visually impaired children are at risk of not receiving the services they so critically need.
This is especially true in Wisconsin, where the percentage of children who do not get access to specialists is estimated to be four times greater than the national average, according to Colleen Kickbush, who is a teacher of the visually impaired at Vision Forward and the Wisconsin Babies Count coordinator.
Babies Count is a national registry of children aged birth to 3 years who have visual impairments. Working with private and public agencies, it collects data with the goal of connecting babies and toddlers with specialized services.
But the challenge is formidable.
For example, Wisconsin Sound Beginnings ensures that all babies born in Wisconsin are screened for hearing loss and seeks to pair those in need with early intervention.
No similar program exists in Wisconsin for visually impaired infants and toddlers.
Colleen Kickbush can at best only guess at the number of Wisconsin children born with a visual impairment before 36 months.
She does this by applying the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention’s national average for children 18 and under who are blind or visually impaired — which is about 3% — to the annual number of live births in Wisconsin.
“That number would be about 1,800 kids,” she said.
“However, we know that a number of those conditions could be acquired later in childhood, and not just under 36 months,” she said.
“We don’t know exactly.”
Vision Forward paired Lettie with Tina Mekeel, who has multiple master’s degrees in learning disabilities and special education and has been working with visually impaired children for 14 years.
Because of the pandemic, Tina worked virtually with Lettie and her parents. Once COVID restrictions were lifted, Tina met with the family face-to-face and at a pediatric clinic — Communication Innovations.
“Kids like Lettie, who have no visual concepts of the world around them, are specifically at risk for learning to become helpless,” Tina said.
To overcome that, Tina said, it was important to not only teach Lettie skills to support her independence but to also teach her parents, teachers and other people in her life techniques that promote and build independence.
“We call this coaching,” Tina said. “I call it the most fun I’ve ever had at a job.
“There is so much joy in watching kids like Lettie learn how to find their toys and play with them. There is so much joy in helping families to focus on what their child can do.”
On a recent summer’s morning, Lettie, wearing yellow overall shorts, her hair held back by a silver barrette shaped like a star, sat between her mom and dad on their living room couch. She now has a little brother, Tate, who was taking a nap.
Grant was talking about the impact Tina has had in their lives.
“Before meeting Tina, we were meandering a bit,” he said.
“After working with her, we felt like there was a path for us and for Lettie.”
Lettie has completed the Birth to 3 program and is now in a day care.
Tina has visited the day care several times, advising Lettie’s teachers and setting up equipment so that Lettie can move through her day with as much independence as possible.
Grant wondered what happens to kids like Lettie who don’t have someone like Tina. He wondered if that’s why he and Jill had no memories of blind people in their lives.
The people at Lettie’s day care know Lettie, though.
“She loved times a million there,” he said.
For more information or to refer someone who has a baby or toddler with vision issues to Vision Forward, contact Tracey Stanislawski, early education manager, at (414) 615-0160. To visit Vision Forward, contact Teresa Freund, philanthropy manager, at (414) 615-0117.
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2022-08-31T14:56:07Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Lettie's journey: How Wisconsin family got help for a child born blind
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/08/31/letties-journey-how-wisconsin-family-got-help-child-born-blind/7895191001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/08/31/letties-journey-how-wisconsin-family-got-help-child-born-blind/7895191001/
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MADISON – Matt Henningsen was dependable, dedicated and productive during three-plus seasons on Wisconsin’s defensive line.
He earned a starting role after joining the program as a walk-on in 2017 and eventually started 29 games and played in 42.
As a senior last season, Henningsen led UW's linemen in total tackles (33), sacks (three) and tackles for loss (5 ½). He was drafted in the sixth round by Denver and secured a spot on the Broncos' 53-player roster.
The job of replacing Henningsen on the line in 2022 belongs to redshirt junior Rodas Johnson.
“He wants to get on Matt Henningsen’s level,” nose tackle Keeanu Benton said bluntly. “I’ve talked to him about that. I tell him: ‘If you want to do something, go do it.’”
Johnson, 6-foot-2 and 293 pounds, possesses a thick upper body but a somewhat lean lower body.
More:Wisconsin loved to run on first down last season. Will that change significantly under a new offensive coordinator?
Rodas Johnson showcases his athleticism on the Wisconsin Badgers' defensive line
“He is fast,” Benton said. “He is very athletic. He might have a little gut. I always make fun of him for that.
“His feet are nuts. He’s got a lineman’s body with skilled feet.”
Johnson laughed when told of Benton’s comments.
“Yes sir,” he said. “That’s my prototype. I’m the fastest lineman for sure.”
Johnson flashed that athletic ability at times last season, including with a sack/forced fumble in the loss to Notre Dame.
That was his highlight play of the 2021 season and he finished with seven tackles.
Johnson is set to replace Henningsen in the starting lineup this season, opposite end Isaiah Mullens. One of the areas Johnson focused on in the offseason was being better able to anticipate offensive plays based on formation and tendency.
That was one of Henningsen’s strengths.
“I talked to Coach K about this,” Johnson said, referring to line coach Ross Kolodziej. “Last year was more of a blur and it was just me filling a (minor) role. Now I am in that (major) role I am way more (aware) of what I have to do and how I should do it.
“Even little things like a backfield set or a formation, I am able to at least get a heads-up on what type of block I’m going to get or what type of counter I can get in that scheme. Just knowing what I am going against and how I can counter it helps a lot.
“That’s half the battle. Growing up, my daddy always told me that the game is 90% mental. Now that I am getting the mental part down it is a lot easier for my body to do whatever I can.”
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst says Rodas Johnson 'is explosive' and has 'the ability to make plays'
Johnson enjoyed a solid camp and during practices open to reporters was able to make plays in the backfield, particularly against the run. Despite his size, Johnson is quick off the ball and explosive.
“He has grown,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “He is a guy that is high energy, high motor. He is going to be productive because of how hard he plays. His only weakness is a little bit of the consistency and sometimes trying to do too much. Sometimes doing your job is all you need to do.
“He flashes every day. He shows you something every day that you get excited about. If he can eliminate little (mistakes) here and there he will be on the field a ton.”
Another of Henningsen’s strengths was maintaining gap integrity and being in the right place every down.
If Johnson can improve in that area, combined with his physical traits, he should be able to give UW another disruptor on the line.
“He is explosive,” head coach Paul Chryst said. “He’s got the ability to make plays.
“I think he has just got to understand – like a lot of guys – that it is in him. That is a good thing. And it will come. Just stay disciplined. Stay true to it.
“You see that at a lot of positions. It comes from a good spot. They want to make a play. They want to do something.
“Trust that you’re good enough, that if you do your part those things will come.”
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2022-08-31T17:43:11Z
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Rodas Johnson determined to follow Matt Henningsen's lead with UW
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/31/rodas-johnson-determined-follow-matt-henningsens-lead-uw/7948048001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/08/31/rodas-johnson-determined-follow-matt-henningsens-lead-uw/7948048001/
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Bucks Gaming esports team wins the 2022 NBA 2K League championship and $500,000
Last summer, the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA championship. This summer, the organization's esports team won the 2022 NBA 2K League championship — and $500,000.
"To see another championship coming right back to Milwaukee two years in a row, we have to say that this is something to celebrate," Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said at a Tuesday news conference at The Beer Garden in Deer District, celebrating the victory.
"This is an exciting moment for all of us because people don't understand gaming a lot of times, and people like this team right here are putting gaming on the map," he continued.
The Bucks Gaming team defeated Wizards District Gaming, 3-1, in the best-of-five Finals held on Saturday in Indianapolis.
The NBA 2K League, a joint venture between the NBA and Take-Two Interactive, is a professional esports league that's made up of 24 teams, 22 of which are affiliated with NBA teams, according to the league's website. It had its inaugural season in 2018, which Bucks Gaming was a part of.
Gamers compete in five vs. five gameplay using unique characters (not-existing NBA players).
It was Bucks Gaming's first time winning the championship and second time making the playoffs.
"Together we made this possible," said 2022 NBA 2K League Finals MVP Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd. "We couldn't have done it without y'all, without Milwaukee. Nobody else had us but us, but the city of Milwaukee. We did it."
Aug. 30 declared Bucks Gaming Day in city, county of Milwaukee
At the news conference, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Crowley, both gamers themselves, proclaimed Aug. 30 Bucks Gaming Day in the city and the county, respectively.
"I never thought in my life in this city that I would see a celebration like this downtown, right in the shadow of Fiserv Forum for video gaming," Johnson said. "My mom used to tell me to get off the games at 2, 3 o'clock in the morning. But look what happens when you really show your talent."
In addition to Boyd — who nicknamed the team "Bad Bucks" — Bucks Gaming is made up of Jeremy “Seese” Seese, Dawson “dawsix” Thomas, Michael “Cooks” Campbell and Mason “Johhny” Bracken.
"They're just as skilled, they're just as respectful and talented as the players we see on the court right there in Fiserv Forum," Johnson said. "Milwaukee is proud of its Bucks on the actual court and on the virtual court as well. These types of victories only bring more positive attention to Milwaukee and our thriving sports team — both online and on the court."
"When you're passionate about something and you reach that ultimate goal you've been working for and dreaming for, that's what these gentlemen did," said Michael Belot, Bucks senior vice president of Bucks ventures and development.
MVP Boyd once beat players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2K exhibition
MVP Boyd first got into gaming when NBA 2K9 came out in 2008.
"It was really just a translation from my real-life love of basketball into the game," the Cleveland native told the Journal Sentinel.
After years of gaming — both playing and watching — he entered his first tournament with friends: NBA 2K16 "Road to the Finals," which had a $250,000 prize on the line.
Boyd's team lost in the first round. The next day, Boyd said, he woke up and immediately started grinding for the upcoming year's competition.
Boyd and his Still Trill team would go on to win the NBA 2K17 All-Star Tournament, winning the $250,000 grand prize, tickets to the All-Star Game and bragging rights over NBA stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, CJ McCollum and Aaron Gordon, who they beat 95-52 in a 2K exhibition game after the tournament had concluded, according to a USA Today report.
And when the NBA announced its new 2K League in 2017, Boyd started preparing for it right away.
"I'm like winning every tournament, super locked in, trying to make sure I get drafted," he said.
Mavs Gaming had the No. 1 pick in the league's first draft; they selected Boyd.
Boyd spent about three and a half years with the Mavs, then about one year with Raptors Uprising GC before being traded to Bucks Gaming. While 2022 marked Boyd's third playoff appearance, it was his first making it past the first round.
How the Bucks Gaming won the 2022 NBA 2K League championship
During the playoffs, Bucks Gaming took down Mavs Gaming, 2-0, Warriors Gaming Squad, 2-1, and T-Wolves Gaming, 2-1, to advance to the Finals. The Finals drew 1.7 million unique viewers on the league's Twitch channel, a news release said.
"We played with trust, we played for each other, played for one another, played for each others' families," Boyd said. "That's what made this run special."
Bucks Gaming's head coach is Lance Sessions and its general manager is Patrick Glogovsky.
"It makes us so proud that we brought another championship to Milwaukee," Glogovsky said. "Just like the Bucks championship is for all of us, the Bucks Gaming championship is for the whole city."
At the news conference, it was said that this was each of the players', the head coach's and the GM's first year with Bucks Gaming.
"It was really a remarkable turnaround with a new general manager, a new head coach, an incredible roster," Belot said. "And this group of guys was able to go from one of the worst records in the entire league to an NBA 2K champion this year."
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2022-08-31T17:43:23Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Bucks Gaming esports team wins 2022 NBA 2K League championship, $500K
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2022/08/31/bucks-gaming-esports-team-wins-2022-nba-2-k-league-championship-milwaukee-deer-district-celebration/7938092001/
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One person ejected from a vehicle following a crash on Milwaukee's north side that leaves at least four injured
At least four people were hospitalized, and one person was ejected from a vehicle following a crash on Milwaukee's far north side, fire officials said.
The Milwaukee Fire Department said the crash occurred at 3:48 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of West Mill Road & North Teutonia Avenue.
It is likely that people under 18 years old were involved. Fire officials said they transported four people to Froedtert and Children's Hospitals, and their conditions were unknown.
The circumstances of the crash are still unclear. The Milwaukee Police Department has not released any information.
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2022-08-31T22:33:29Z
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Four hospitalized following crash on Milwaukee's north side
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/31/four-hospitalized-following-crash-milwaukees-north-side/7955044001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/08/31/four-hospitalized-following-crash-milwaukees-north-side/7955044001/
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Gathering Place Brewing Company's new Wauwatosa taproom will fill the space previously occupied by Stock House Brewing
The space at 7208 W. North Ave will swap out one brewery for another as Gathering Place Brewing fills the location previously occupied by Stock House Brewing, which decided to cease operations in July.
Pending local approvals, the Gathering Place satellite taproom is expected to open by the end of September. Gathering Place has purchased the assets from former occupant Stock House Brewing, for an undisclosed amount.
“Stock House Brewing Co. is very honored and excited that we have been able to come to an agreement with Gathering Place,” said Aaron Morrill of Stock House Brewing. “We feel that Gathering Place is the perfect fit for our location and is understanding of the community that we have worked so hard to build over the last four years.”
Gathering Place Brewing Co. was founded by Joe Yeado in 2017 in the Riverwest neighborhood. It is known for brewing vibrant and unique beers that are inspired by Milwaukee and its surrounding communities.
The new Wauwatosa location will initially operate as a taproom offering a mix of year-round and seasonal beers from the Riverwest location. To convert the location into a brewery, similar to how Stock House used it, the brand will need to get federal and state permits approved.
Gathering Place plans to make cosmetic changes to the taproom but is keen to keep previous aspects of the space, such as a mural that features a map of Wauwatosa. The brand also is planning to make improvements to the back patio in spring in hopes of making the space a focal point for guest experiences.
Gathering Place is no stranger to the new Wauwatosa location, as Stock House would occasionally offer the beer to customers when its own supply was low.
“We have received so much support from the Wauwatosa community over the years, and we are excited to now have a location to deepen our connections in the city,” said Joe Yeado, founder of Gathering Place Brewing. “We look forward to building upon the foundation that Stock House created and continuing the legacy of that space as a brewery.”
Additionally, the exposure that the brand already enjoys in the Wauwatosa community justified the decision to expand operations there and they are excited to continue serving and contributing to the area.
“Opening a taproom in Tosa feels like a natural extension of the brewery,” said Tom Ems, sales associate for Gathering Place Brewing. “We regularly deliver beer around the community, and it’ll be exciting to have a tasting room in the city.”
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2022-09-01T12:35:25Z
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Gathering Place Brewing Co. to open a new taproom in Wauwatosa
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/2022/09/01/gathering-place-brewing-co-open-new-taproom-wauwatosa/7952726001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/2022/09/01/gathering-place-brewing-co-open-new-taproom-wauwatosa/7952726001/
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The South Milwaukee Fire Department received a 911 transfer call from Milwaukee County at 7:53 a.m. from two men on a boat a couple miles out from Bender Park in Oak Creek.
Their boat was taking on water.
The U. S. Coast Guard and South Milwaukee Fire Department found the vessel with the boaters on board about 8:15 a.m., according to a news release.
The men were taken back to shore by South Milwaukee’s rescue boat, The Guardian.
No injuries were reported, and emergency transport was refused, the department said.
The U. S. Coast Guard remained with the boat, a fire department representative said. The current status of the craft is not known.
“This water rescue exemplifies the effectiveness of multi-agency awareness and training which resulted in a successful outcome for two Wisconsin citizens,” the South Milwaukee Fire Department said in a statement.
The department encouraged all boaters to “use caution when on the water; know your location at all times; know the current and potential weather conditions; and to have all required safety/rescue equipment and to know its use.”
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2022-09-01T14:46:54Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Men rescued from sinking boat in Lake Michigan near South Milwaukee
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/09/01/men-rescued-sinking-boat-lake-michigan-near-south-milwaukee/7955265001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/09/01/men-rescued-sinking-boat-lake-michigan-near-south-milwaukee/7955265001/
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Laketa Watts, left, director of Essentially Empowered, a community organization, and Sherri Ohley, director of the Envision Community Health Worker Training Center, holds Watts’ son Isaiah at Watts’ home in Milwaukee. The women are health care advocates working to bring awareness about the concerns of asthma on a local and national level. Ohley trained Watts in 2018 as a community health worker, who would later created Essentially Empowered, a program that she oversees for asthma prevention. Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A DEVASTATING DISEASE | TRIGGERS IN THE HOME | Q&A: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS | WISCONSIN'S PLAN
Asthma cost the U.S. economy $81 billion in 2013, CDC researchers estimate.
But its costs aren’t solely measured in dollars and cents.
Shante Brown, a Bay View High School student, lost her mother to an asthma attack when she was just a preschooler.
Shante’s own asthma was controlled as a child but worsened as she matured into a teenager.
Working at a local fast food restaurant increased Shante’s exposure to grease and particulate matter. Spending more time in friends’ homes, away from her aunt’s clean and tidy house, increased her exposure to dust and other irritants.
By age 17, Shante was using her rescue inhaler regularly and her aunt, Antoinette Chapman, described the teenager’s asthma as “severe.” In December 2019, Shante was hospitalized in Children’s Wisconsin for her asthma and fell into a coma.
She recovered, but the asthma remained uncontrolled.
One early August morning in 2021, she collapsed in the bathroom of a friend’s house, gasping for air. Her friend’s mother tried to administer a breathing machine. Another friend performed CPR. But just an hour and a half later, Shante stopped breathing.
Shante Brown, a Bay View High School student, lost her mother to an asthma attack. Shante suffered an asthma attack in 2021 and died. Courtesy of Antoinette Chapman
Although such asthma deaths are rare, they still happen, said Jasmine Zapata, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ chief medical officer of community health.
“I will never forget, I was doing a rotation in the pediatric ICU, and there was a young girl who got air-flighted in because she was in a life-threatening situation due to an asthma attack,” Zapata recalled. “She almost died. She was very, very critically ill.”
Zapata is working to help expand Wisconsin’s Asthma Care Program with Christine Rameker, the state’s asthma program manager.
For many public health experts, the expansion is a long time coming.
Asthma, a respiratory condition characterized by chronically inflamed and hyperactive airways, is a deceptively complex disease. Poorly controlled asthma is common in low-income areas, where specialists are often out of reach and housing is frequently substandard.
Asthma sends residents from predominately Black ZIP codes to the emergency department at rates 10 or even 20 times higher than it sends the residents of affluent suburbs, Wisconsin Hospital Association data shows.
Despite this disparate impact on communities of color, the city of Milwaukee has failed to implement a citywide initiative to address uncontrolled asthma.
At a time when many cities nationwide are exploring strategies to reduce uncontrolled asthma, Wisconsin has a breadth of solutions to include in its expanded program, such as increasing the ranks of community health workers, conducting home-based interventions, implementing stronger housing and health policies, and using updated technology for asthma education.
Community health workers pivotal for sustainable care
Sherri Ohly is the director of the Envision Community Health Worker Training Center, a University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute project which operates under a three-year U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant.
Community health workers, Ohly said, are integral for addressing health literacy in their communities, and they tend to provide more sustainable support to families than an emergency room doctor can.
“Our healthcare system is so: ‘Here’s the information, here you go, here it is,’” Ohly said. “(When) community health workers come to a family, they look at what’s the crisis that needs immediate attention? And then as they go further, they can dive deeper and figure out what’s triggering these asthma attacks. All of that takes time and trust. And that’s not what health systems are designed to do in a clinical setting.”
Prospective community health workers often choose a specialty, such as health education, coaching skills or care coordination. And because many of them come from the communities they serve, they are able to act as translators for patients, both literally and figuratively.
“The lingo that’s used within healthcare and public health, that is sometimes really difficult to digest even when we’re speaking the same language,” said Morgan Krhin, a community health worker coordinator for Wisconsin’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program. “Community health workers reinterpret that to make it digestible, easy to understand and less intimidating for the community.”
Community health workers are often funded with short-term grants, which Krhin said deters people from the profession and leads to shortages.
“Because they’re coming from the same communities in which they’re serving, they are not paid in an equitable way, compared to other health professionals who are working in similar spaces,” Krhin said.
Because community health workers do not have a clinical role, they are frequently treated as novelties, which complicates efforts to ask health systems or insurers to fund the position more permanently.
Without community health workers who look like and have the trust of the communities where they work, the task of health education fall to others, like Francis Starms Discovery School nurse Ashley Capodarco.
“I’ve noticed and heard from families that they’re more willing to open up and listen to someone who is from their neighborhood and has the same background,” Capodarco said. “I think there needs to be a lot more people of color presenting medical information.”
Home-based interventions must be part of the solution
The CDC suggests that home-based interventions are key to reducing symptom days, improving quality of life and lowering missed school days.
Communities often fund these programs through grants, such as the BUILD (Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, Data-driven) Health Challenge, a national coalition of health insurers, foundations and community organizations that award local agencies money for health equity initiatives. The organization has had several iterations of its awards in Portland, Seattle, Des Moines, Oakland, Denver, Albuquerque, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pasadena, the Bronx and Baltimore, among other cities.
West Philly was one of those communities.
Philadelphia is home to many of the same conditions found in Milwaukee — an aging housing stock, a history of housing racism and fragmented attempts to address health disparities. After receiving a BUILD Health Challenge Grant, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia added home remediation to its Community Asthma Prevention Program (CAPP).
Partnering with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia and Habitat for Humanity, the new iteration, called CAPP Plus, helped West Philadelphia families with uncontrolled asthma repair subfloors, plumbing and duct systems and address pest infestations, mold and/or dirty air ventilation systems.
The CAPP was run by Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens, a primary care physician. More than two decades earlier, she was teaching asthma education classes to reduce emergency room visits for asthma.
Tyra Bryant-Stephens runs Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Community Asthma Prevention Program. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
At the classes, she noticed: “(When) we talked about environmental triggers, parents would start to zone out. And we realized it was … because they didn’t have money. They were a tenant and they just felt so totally helpless.”
At the time, the hospital’s community health workers were conducting home assessments where they would provide smoking cessation resources, vinegar cleaning solutions, HEPA vacuum cleaners and instructions on how to reduce mold and pests.
But it often wasn’t enough.
“Over the years, we were struck by how our community health worker would say, ‘I gave them the stuff, but there’s still a hole in the ceiling’ or, ‘There’s still a big leak,’” she recalled.
That’s when Bryant-Stephens convinced Children’s Hospital to participate in a BUILD Challenge grant, which required a hospital match.
The expanded program, CAPP Plus, only applied to West Philly residents who had two asthma-related emergency room visits or one hospitalization in the past year and who would commit to staying in their homes for a minimum of three years. Participants were able to receive roof repairs, duct cleanings, mold remediation and other large repairs.
Children’s Hospital saw such positive returns, it began fully funding the program.
“We finished our 100th home in December. I went out to talk to the parent to hear her views and she said, ‘This would have never happened,’” Bryant-Stephens recalled. “She’s a single mom with three kids. She said … ‘I would try to save a little bit, but then something would come up.’ Parents making as little as they do and then having low wages, it’s just hard – unless they get a windfall, or someone comes along and helps them out.”
Bryant-Stephens is hoping CAPP Plus will reach 40 homes this year and expand to include renters. Renters’ landlords must have four or fewer units, live in the neighborhood and be on good terms with the tenant, who must agree to stay at least three years.
The investment, Bryant-Stephens said, is worth it.
Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens, primary care physician
There should be a lot more investment.
“There should be a lot more investment,” she said. “Eighty percent of the dollars we’re spending should be on social determinants of health rather than hospitalization.”
Successful programs show significant return on investment
Amy Kind, associate dean at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health, said programs such as CAPP Plus are rare because the medical field is just now starting to realize the value of collaborating to address social determinants of health.
“(There’s) this issue of turfism — 'I work on hearts, not housing’ or, ‘That’s not my thing, it’s a housing thing,’” she said. “It should be everyone’s problem. And making more people aware that poor quality housing could affect pulmonary disease should be just as important as the inhaler or the pill.”
Amy Kind, professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Many physicians in Milwaukee are unsure how or where to send their patients for help outside of the medical realm, further illustrating the need for a more holistic approach to address chronic diseases.
Some communities have taken that approach.
The Greensboro Housing Coalition mounted a public pressure campaign against one apartment complex owner whose tenants were disproportionately visiting the hospital for asthma-related issues. In partnership with community groups, Cone Health and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the complex was eventually sold to a landlord who has brought the building up to code. Asthma-related hospital visits from that complex have declined.
Several other cities — including two in the Midwest — have taken advantage of the BUILD Health challenge to address asthma.
In Cleveland — a city with high rates of lead poisoning, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — three local organizations received a BUILD Health challenge grant of $250,000. Grant recipients remediated 57 homes by:
Performing a free home environmental assessments
Conducting proactive housing inspections
Creating complete rental registry
Using home violations to identify hotspots of unhealthy housing
Enforcing code compliance
The program’s success also led the public to support a tax increase for city services. And the city raised an additional $2.3 million from landlords’ rental registrations.
Des Moines is another city with a large renter — and rent-burdened —population and old housing stock prone to developing asthma irritants such as mold. Des Moines received a BUILD Health Challenge grant in 2015, and three health systems worked with the local health department and Polk County Housing Trust Fund to create the Healthy Homes Des Moines program. The program is unusual in that it uses public funds to remediate rental properties at no cost to families.
Since the program’s implementation, asthma-related emergency department visits decreased from once every 60 days to zero, children had an average of six additional symptom-free days and the children’s legal guardians missed 70% fewer days of work per month due to asthma.
Carolyn Schaefer, a registered nurse and healthy homes specialist, and Mike Miller, a city of Des Moines code enforcement officer inspect a home for environmental causes of asthma March 1, 2016, in Des Moines. In 2016, Des Moines, Iowa, launched a program to find and fix household problems that contribute to childhood asthma. It was supported by Polk County and the city’s three main hospital companies, Mercy, UnityPoint and Broadlawns. Kelsey Kremer / Register
Along with these outcomes, the program also has changed the local inspection department. Partners lobbied for the addition of a local options sales tax to help fund the department, inspectors were educated on asthma triggers and the department is currently exploring a “healthy and safe” seal of approval for landlords who volunteer for a thorough inspection and pass.
Other healthy home programs throughout the country show home-based interventions have good health and economic outcomes.
One home-based intervention asthma program in Minnesota produced a return on investment ranging from $5.25 to $1.61 for every dollar spent, and reduced missed school and work days over a three-month period.
University of Massachusetts’ Lowell Healthy Homes Program focused on addressing environmental triggers in housing — mold, mildew, pests and dust mites — by providing asthma education, specialized vacuum cleaners, pest control items and property manager training. The program cost $36,000 and saved $71,000 in health care costs and the number of emergency room visits dropped 80%, according to a 2014 study.
Policy makers have the power to make the city healthier
Systemic inspections, which involve city inspectors visiting rentals throughout the city on a rotating basis, has been proven to reduce the prevalence of substandard housing.
The use of rent abatement and withholding programs in Baltimore, Columbus, Los Angeles and Detroit helped strengthen this housing strategy, a 2022 study on housing code violation and asthma found.
Greensboro’s Rural Unit Certificate of Occupancy ordinance, enacted by the city council in 2003, required mandatory inspections for virtually all rental housing. The number of housing units with code violations dropped 77% in the first eight years, and the city was able to bring more than 8,700 properties up to minimum standards in four years. The ordinance was eliminated in 2011, and complaints from renters went right back up.
The Asthma Free Housing Act, passed by the New York City Council in 2018, requires landlords with three or more apartments to address all conditions — including pests and mold — that could act as triggers.
Not all such systemic housing inspection programs have successful outcomes. For example, after such a program was instituted in Boston, the number of violations barely changed. Researchers said the reason was because it required an inspection too infrequently — once every five years — and allowed landlords to use private inspectors.
Katharine Robb, a post-doctorate fellow at Harvard University with a background in public health, said today’s inspectors focus too much on code compliance, which often hurts residents.
“There’s often this perception that housing inspectors are really there just to take a very punitive approach,” she said. “The enforcement of housing codes often leads to (the) displacement of residents or evictions. Landlords are induced to make improvements to homes and that costs money. They raise rents, or landlords retaliate against tenants.”
Rethinking Medicaid reimbursement is another policy tool that could avoid significant health care costs down the road.
Medicaid reimbursement means providers receive a pre-determined fee when Medicaid-eligible residents use particular services. The state is then reimbursed by the federal government.
Obtaining Medicaid reimbursement for services, large and small, could significantly help low-income residents access services vital to improving asthma outcomes. Hospitals, for example, that employ community health workers could receive Medicaid reimbursements for them.
Gary Steven, founder of the Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center in Greenfield, is particularly excited about the potential of Medicaid covering the costs of a tool that could help patients more consistently — and less expensively — keep track of how asthma is affecting their body. The tool is a spirometer, a home-based machine used to test lung function that is typically only found in specialists’ offices.
Medicaid reimbursement can also help cover the cost of home intervention programs, as the 2015 Green & Healthy Homes Initiative on asthma suggests, by making it part of “targeted case management” and eligible to be waived. Wisconsin is considering such a program as part of expanded asthma-control efforts.
Thirteen states already use Medicaid reimbursement for home-based asthma services, a National Center for Healthy Housing survey found, with 69% covering home assessments, 54% covering education about triggers, 38% covered low-cost supplies and 15% covered structural remediation. The cost range of visit reimbursements was $81-$200.
Technology key for tracking, education patients
Effective strategies to reduce uncontrolled asthma aren’t just in homes, hospitals and the halls of policymakers — they can also be found in technology.
Steven built his own database to track the number of emergency room visits his patients have made.
In Louisville an initiative to add sensors in inhalers helped asthmatics track their inhalers and helped health care providers track how frequently they used them. The initiative, “AIR Louisville,” led to a 78% reduction in rescue inhaler use and a 48% improvement in symptom-free days, a 2018 study found.
Dr. Sunit Jariwala, the medical director of digital transformation at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center. Photo courtesy of Sunit Jariwala
Dr. Sunit Jariwala, the medical director of digital transformation at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center, tackled the extreme asthma disparities in his Bronx patient population by creating an asthma-focused phone app. The app instructs patients on medications use, proper inhaler technique, different asthma triggers and how to develop an action plan. According to a study of 39 pediatric patients in that area, emergency department visits and prednisone use decreased significantly following use of the app.
The app, ASTHMAXcel, started with a PowerPoint.
Jariwala was working in the Bronx, where asthma-related hospital visits were three times the state average. Galvanized, he and a pulmonologist formed the Montefiore Asthma Center and started delivering a PowerPoint with information about asthma to doctors and patients.
But his patients wanted to download it.
Steered by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, Jariwala and his team integrated feedback from patients, clinicians, psychology professor Jonathan Feldman and pediatrics professor Marina Reznik to build the app.
The team received 14 grants for $2.5 million from the federal government, American Lung Association, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and other partners.
“It’s been all user-centered design,” Jariwala explained. “It’s fully based on the national guidelines, but it’s also contextual in the sense that we highlight features like pollen counts.”
The app also helps remind asthma patients to use a “peak flow meter,” a device that measures exhales and identifies when they are likely to have an attack.
The app now has a pediatric version and has even been used for different diseases.
Improved systems could save lives
Dorian James has spent nearly 30 years working with asthma patients. He worked at St. Joseph in the 1990s, the Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center in the 2000s, and spent five years at Children’s Hospital’s Community health asthma management program (CHAMP).
During that time, he observed how often asthma is mistaken as a simple disease, despite its complexity.
Dorian James former Community Health Asthma Management Program (CHAMP) . Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
For example, James said important asthma management components, such as inhaler technique, are often oversimplified in emergency rooms. Children often need spacers to ensure the full dose of medication is being delivered.
“There’s a large number of the asthma population that is unstable for no other reason than because they’re using their inhaler improperly,” James said.
Everyone is different, James said. “It’s not only different from person to person, but it can be different in the spring and fall when allergens are out versus in the summer when it’s hot or winter when it’s cold. It can be different (depending) on the time and day. That’s the degree of sensitivity.”
In many ways, the relatively new commitment to improving asthma outcomes represents a far cry from how health systems responded in the past.
James said the asthma clinic at St. Joseph was so successful, it began cutting into profits from emergency room visits.
“We were having such success and the ER rates were dropping so significantly, they decided to close it,” he said. After the Affordable Care Act passed, a provision made the hospital liable if someone returned to the hospital with the same issue within a certain time frame. By then, James had left, but he said two people he trained reopened the clinic. The hospital is now under new ownership.
James said he believes the asthma program at Children’s Wisconsin is a good model to follow. It features a team with one specialist to concentrate on the disease, a nurse to educate patients, a social worker to help with social determinants of health and a psychologist to help patients with the impact of asthma. The only thing missing, he said, is home remediation, which is included in the state's plans for expanding its efforts.
Andrew Beck, pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Think about system-level costs.
Andrew Beck, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, has seen the results when a hospital devotes significant resources to improving the outcomes of asthma and other chronic diseases.
“Think about system-level costs,” he said. “If you reduce morbidity, (emergency department) visits, hospitalizations and you keep children in school and parents at work, that saves a heck of a lot of money to the broader system.”
More importantly, reprioritizing diseases like asthma can improve someone’s quality of life and maybe, even save their life.
“Inequities are real. If you think about … the years of productivity lost, not to say anything of the emotional loss that a premature death could have, I’m sure it’s measured in billions, if not trillions,” he said.
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2022-09-01T16:49:21Z
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Poor housing promotes asthma 'triggers,' and getting help can be hard
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https://www.jsonline.com/in-depth/news/health/2022/09/01/poor-housing-promotes-asthma-triggers-and-getting-help-can-hard/10331692002/
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Students at Starms Discovery Learning Center in Milwaukee head out for recess on Aug. 16, 2022. Asthma is the most common disease at Starms, an elementary and middle school located in the 53205 ZIP code. Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A DEVASTATING DISEASE | TRIGGERS IN THE HOME | POSITIVE STEPS | Q&A: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS
Wisconsin’s Asthma Care Program began in 2003.
Nearly 20 years later, the program is being expanded with new sources of funding, larger geographic reach and home remediation options.
During the early years of the program, officials focused on education programs and ways to track how they were working, Asthma Program Manager Christine Rameker said.
By adding a new source of funding and placing the asthma program under a new umbrella department — the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health — Wisconsin is poised to make an unprecedented reprioritization of asthma.
Asthma, a respiratory condition characterized by chronically inflamed and hyperactive airways, afflicts tens of thousands of children throughout the state. Uncontrolled asthma has had a disparate impact in low-income communities and communities of color.
Jennifer Zapata, the state’s chief medical officer of community health, has said the numbers are disappointing but unsurprising, given that medical care only affects 20% of a person’s health.
“The other 80 percent is based on individual behavior, the environment you live in, your community. and economic and social factors that play a role,” she said. “The 80 percent that happens outside of access to care is what is driving some of these inequities.”
It’s why the state’s new asthma program is equipped with more tools than ever to address that 80%.
Proven to save money
Early on, Wisconsin’s asthma program was receiving an average of $500,000 to $600,000 per year from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But the program lacked a cohesive-enough strategy to make a significant impact.
So a pilot program — which became the basis for the expanded “Asthma-Safe Homes Program” — was started in 2014 through grants from the CDC’s National Asthma Control Program.
The pilot became a way to attract new funding sources, such as Medicaid reimbursement, which states receive after Medicaid-eligible residents access particular services.
Christine Rameker, Asthma Care Program manager
Medicaid has said years ago they would be willing fund such a program, but they needed us to prove that it works in Wisconsin.
“Medicaid has said years ago they would be willing fund such a program, but they needed us to prove that it works in Wisconsin,” Rameker recalled.
Over eight years, the pilot program involved two annual home visits, with Children’s Wisconsin visiting 50 families and the Kenosha County Health Department visiting 25 families.
Health officials would provide in-home asthma education and offer no-to-low-cost solutions to reduce asthma triggers in the home. The collective effort, while touching relatively few families, showed positive outcomes.
Among 71 participants who were part of the asthma care program, there were 79% fewer emergency department visits, 50% fewer hospitalizations and 78% fewer missed school and workdays, a January 2019 report from the Department of Health Services determined.
Based on its analysis, the program also helped families save money. When comparing how much they were paying for hospital visits a year prior to intervention compared to a year after intervention, the Department of Health Services reported saving families an average of nearly $800 in emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Even after factoring in the taxpayer cost of the program — $679 per patient — that still meant a $117 savings.
Given the program’s success, funding shifted from the CDC to the Medicaid program, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) September 1, with a small batch of additional funding from the state. About $2.5 million has been approved to support the program, with $1.9 million set aside specifically for Medicaid reiumbursement.
Access to schools, childcare venues
With the expanded Wisconsin’s asthma plan, families will receive the following:
A minimum of two and up to six in-home visits
Education on patients can best manage their asthma
A home environmental assessment
Items such as hypoallergenic bedding and HEPA vacuums
Three follow-up calls to track progress
Up to $5,000 to “address acute environmental hazards.”
Rameker said the $5,000 is Part B of the plan, and it will only be eligible for a small subset of households. Homeowners and renters are eligible and the total available for repairs may increase to $8,000 per household overtime, depending on the need.
The agency is expecting to work on 250 homes per year.
It’s the most significant investment in home remediation the state has made to address asthma, and involved adding two staff members to oversee the program this spring.
Nationally, the CDC has a goal of preventing 500,000 asthma-related hospital and emergency department visits by August 2024. As part of that goal, the agency issued guidelines for states to follow when developing their programs, one of which encourages partnerships with smaller organizations in local areas.
Kelly Jackson, owner and president of AJ Development Group takes a reading of the moisture level in a house where mold has been growing at 5445 N. 41st Street in Milwaukee on May 25, 2022. Smoke, mold, mildew, cockroaches and rodents are asthma triggers. Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Fight Asthma Milwaukee Allies, a group of healthcare and government officials, local businesses and community members focused on reducing asthma-related hospital visits, would represent one likely partner in Milwaukee. FAM Allies, as it is most commonly known, works by providing multilingual asthma education, conducting needs assessments and helping manage the asthma care of children at high risk. In 2019, the organization reported carrying out 279 programs for 486 participants.
As a member of the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin, the state program will also have access into schools and childcare venues, where coordinators will try to locate and eliminate triggers.
Organizations who wanted to become a grantee of the Asthma Safe Homes Program applied to the Department of Health Services earlier in the year.
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2022-09-01T16:49:21Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Wisconsin expanding asthma program to get to source of problem: homes
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https://www.jsonline.com/in-depth/news/health/2022/09/01/wisconsin-expanding-asthma-program-get-source-problem-homes/10336308002/
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https://www.jsonline.com/in-depth/news/health/2022/09/01/wisconsin-expanding-asthma-program-get-source-problem-homes/10336308002/
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RACINE -- Unrealistic, grandiose plans with a touch of greed is how panelists at a Foxconn town hall meeting described the last five years since the mega factory was announced.
Mount Pleasant, a bedroom community of Racine, was catapulted to international prominence in 2017 when the Taiwanese-based manufacturing company announced its plan to invest $10 billion and create 13,000 high-paying high-tech jobs there.
Foxconn has massively scaled back those plans and it is unknown what the company is doing in Mount Pleasant in the four buildings it has constructed.
Lawrence Tabak, the author of "Foxconned: Imaginary Jobs, Bulldozed Homes, and the Sacking of Local Government," said every economic developer is looking for the next Silicon Valley. That's what Mount Pleasant and Wisconsin hoped it was getting with Foxconn.
"Why did the Foxconn development encompass 3,000 plus acres, when the factory — even what they were envisioning from the start — could be built on a 10th of that land?" Tabak said. "There was a grandiose expectation for what could happen and the fact that it didn't happen shouldn't surprise anyone who studies economic development."
Tabak was joined by Kathleen Gallagher, executive director of 5 Lakes Institute and a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; State Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, and David Merriman, a professor of urban planning at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Kelly Gallaher, whose group, A Better Mount Pleasant, sponsored the event, said she did so because residents' questions were not being answered by village officials.
About 130 people attended the Wednesday night event at Gateway Technical College in Racine.
Gallaher invited the entire Mount Pleasant Village Board, Village Administrator Maureen Murphy; Mark Hogan, who helped forge the deal that brought Foxconn Technology Group to Wisconsin when he was the head of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.; Jenny Trick, executive director of the Racine County Economic Development Corp.; Tim Sheehy, president of the MMAC; and Claude Lois, who is Mount Pleasant's contracted consultant for the Foxconn project.
None of them replied or attended, Gallaher said.
The audience had an opportunity to ask questions, which fell into two categories: Lois and Foxconn's obligation to pay Mount Pleasant.
Lois was hired in 2017 to manage the Foxconn project. He's an employee of Milwaukee-based engineering firm Kapur & Associates, but the village pays for his time.
Last year, the village board extended the contract with Kapur for Lois' work by two years and his pay was raised to $175 per hour. That amount is set to increase Aug. 21 to $200 per hour.
Lois served as the mayor of Burlington for four terms before deciding not to run again in 2008. After leaving the mayor's seat, Lois took a job as a division administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue managing the state’s shared revenue program during former Gov. Scott Walker’s administration.
Merriman said most communities hire a consultant to manage a project, especially one like Foxconn, with such a large public investment.
In an interview, Merriman said it is unusual that a national search wasn't done before Lois was chosen.
More:Mount Pleasant continues to pay millions for Foxconn-related vendors; one politically tied consultant is paid $28K per month
Town hall audience members had questions about Lois' compensation and duties with the village. Tabak, who devoted a chapter of his book to Lois, said there are a lot of questions surrounding his work with the village.
"It's really frustrating because a lot of questions that I knew we would get tonight are questions that need to be answered by the public authorities and the professionals that are working at Village Hall, they are not here to answer those," Tabak said.
Foxconn's obligation to pay
Village officials have continued to defend the Foxconn project and the money they continue to spend saying the costs will be recouped.
Bills are paid using a $911 million special taxing district created by the village of Mount Pleasant and Racine County to pay for the local portion of the Foxconn project including land acquisition and infrastructure upgrades.
Foxconn is Racine County's biggest taxpayer, coming in at about $9.1 million in 2021. That is scheduled to jump to $30 million a year in January 2024. Mount Pleasant needs that money, considering its Foxconn-related debt is more than 500% of the village's operating revenue.
According to the contract, Foxconn should have about $1.4 billion worth of value with the village, producing $28 million in tax increment.
At this time, Foxconn's value is $11.5 million, which means it has to make the village whole, or beginning next year, face a penalty, said Hintz, who also serves on the state's economic development board.
Hintz believes Foxconn will follow through — if not, the company will lose its rights to develop further. He said the problem is that the village, and Foxconn, have not been transparent.
"If you are going to take taxpayer money, you have to be transparent and you have to be accountable," Hintz said. "If the company had said, 'you know what? there isn't a market for LCD panels, the labor costs are too high here, can't compete, we need to reimagine something, maybe people would have said OK, let's figure it out. Instead, they continue to just gaslight, and lie."
Gallagher isn't as confident Foxconn will follow through on any promises.
"The financial burden is on large part on the locals, who are carrying the debt and whose homes were torn down, the issue going forward is what happens if Foxconn doesn't make that tax payment, Mount Pleasant is bankrupt," Gallagher said. "Who is answering that question? Is Foxconn answering?"
More:Property owners near Foxconn say they were misled. Now their homes are gone.
Merriman, who has studied tax incremental financing since the 1980s, said it doesn't seem like it's in Foxconn's interest to continue making payments to the village.
"We don't know what will happen — people can tell you they know, but they don't," Merriman said.
"The basic question is, is the community better off than it was before? The burden hasn't fallen on the community, but the risk has. If Foxconn decides to default, Mount Pleasant is not in a good space."
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2022-09-01T16:49:26Z
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Foxconn town hall raises more questions for stalled Wisconsin project
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2022/09/01/foxconn-town-hall-raises-more-questions-stalled-wisconsin-project-mount-pleasant/7953249001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2022/09/01/foxconn-town-hall-raises-more-questions-stalled-wisconsin-project-mount-pleasant/7953249001/
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The city is preparing to sell the site of a former Bay View library. That creates a new redevelopment opportunity.
A city-owned property in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood is being prepared for sale — creating a new redevelopment opportunity.
The plan to request development proposals for the former Llewellyn Library, 907 E. Russell Ave., comes as the city is updating its long-term comprehensive plan for Bay View.
That planning update process has already named some key sites for future development in Bay View. The neighborhood continues to see strong demand for both residential and commercial properties.
The two-story, 8,200-square-foot former library, and its 17,200-square-foot corner lot, are "going to have some value," said David Misky, city Redevelopment Authority assistant executive director.
Misky spoke at a Thursday meeting of the Milwaukee Public Library Board's Building and Development Committee.
The Llewellyn Library was built in 1913, with an addition constructed in 1958, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
It closed when the Bay View Library opened in 1993 at 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
More:Sisu Cafe opens for quick breakfast and lunch in Bay View
More:What's in a name? The story behind how Milwaukee's suburbs like West Allis, New Berlin and Wauwatosa got their names
The building was then leased to Milwaukee Public Schools, which used it for programs tied to the nearby Bay View High School, said Sam McGovern-Rowen, Milwaukee Public Library construction project manager.
MPS is no longer interested in using the building, McGovern-Rowen told committee members.
"We're happy to have it back in our possession," he said. "It's an exciting opportunity for us."
An appraisal to determine the property's estimated value is to be completed in October. The building could be listed for sale by early 2023, McGovern-Rowen said.
The Llewellyn Library is named for Henry Llewellyn, a prominent Bay View resident. The site was given to the city by his sons as a memorial to their father, according to the Milwaukee Public Library.
Bay View was the first Milwaukee neighborhood to have a branch library.
Meanwhile, the Bay View plan update, which is being drafted by the Department of City Development, features preliminary ideas for projects that include affordable housing.
The proposal, which needs approval from the Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson, has other conceptual ideas for development, transportation and public gathering spaces.
It will take private and public funding, as well as additional city approvals, to bring those ideas to life.
And, while all those concepts may not become realities, the plan provides a long-range road map to accommodate them.
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2022-09-01T16:49:37Z
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Bay View library site to be listed as redevelopment opportunity
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/09/01/city-owned-bay-view-property-listed-redevelopment-opportunity-milwaukee-llewellyn-library/7958868001/
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Ben Steele Mark Stewart
The volleyball showdown between Wisconsin and Marquette has become an annual, circle-the-date matchup, and it seems to grow in importance every year.
This season's edition will have some added buzz when the sixth-ranked Badgers (1-1) host the No. 24 Golden Eagles (2-0) at 8 p.m. Friday at UW Field House in Madison. The match will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
For UW, the match represents a final celebration of the program’s 2021 national championship. Team members will receive their championship rings and see the unveiling of the championship banner, which will be dropped from the Field House rafters.
"I’m probably going to get chills,” UW junior Devyn Robinson said. “Hopefully I don’t get too emotional. I know some of the alumni are coming back. But it’s going to feel so good having that up there because we earned that.”
For MU, that environment will be a unique proving ground for a team that has already turned heads by upsetting then-No. 11 Kentucky on the road in the season opener.
"I’m not really intimidated by the banner, honestly," MU senior Carly Skrabak said. "I just think it’s more exciting."
New season, new looks for Wisconsin and Marquette volleyball teams
Internally, the Badgers turned the page on their championship season in January after the team was honored at Lambeau Field during the Green Bay Packers’ playoff loss to San Francisco.
“The recognition will continue, but the celebrating is done,” Sheffield told the team.
The work of moving on from last season’s team has been a major chemistry experiment. Of the team’s six new players, three – junior Caroline Crawford, sophomore Sarah Franklin and freshman Gulce Guctekin – start.
Add the team’s use of a 6-2 offense with senior Izzy Ashburn and junior MJ Hamill rotating in and out at setter and the Badgers enter the matchup with MU as a work in progress. Neither player was the starter last season.
“There is no shortcut to (chemistry),” Sheffield said. “That’s why you have the entire season. … It allows for development over time. It allows for growth. It’s a long season. It is going take some time to work through the connections.”
UW split its two matches last weekend in Fort Worth, Texas: A 3-0 win over TCU on Friday and a 3-2 loss to Baylor on Saturday.
Chemistry appears to have come quickly for MU despite the Golden Eagles having lost several key players from a team that was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season.
"I knew they were fun," Golden Eagles head coach Ryan Theis said. "Fun to watch. And I didn’t know last offseason how our first touch, our passing, would come around.
More:This Marquette volleyball player had a liver transplant, battled cancer and tore her ACL. Now she's playing better than ever.
More:UW volleyball uses fast start, defense to score season-opening victory over TCU in Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge
"And I’ve just been really pleased how that has progressed through the course of two-a-days and even the second half of last spring I thought we got better at that skill. And it’s allowed us to be pretty quick offensively. But I’m sure we’ll have some tough serving to deal with this weekend that will make that a little tougher."
Skrabak took a star turn in the opening-weekend victories over Kentucky and Ohio, with the libero earning Big East defensive player of the week.
"I think I’ve just been really focused on just playing super clean and making sure the quality on my digs and passes are really good," Skrabak said. "So I’ve just been, over the spring, working on again just being super clean with my play and making sure that I make it easier for our players to set our hitters and making sure that I make things easier for our team.”
Wisconsin-Marquette volleyball has become annual tradition
MU outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton was the Gatorade state player of the year at Arrowhead High School in 2019. After two seasons at Notre Dame, she felt a pull back to Milwaukee.
“I wanted to be closer to home and I really loved Ryan and his philosophy and the whole volleyball program here," Hamilton said.
She attended several MU-UW matches growing up. Now she gets to play in one.
“I’m definitely excited and stoked," Hamilton said. "I’m nervous because I’m from Wisconsin and it’s a team from here. But other than that I’m just excited to crush it.”
UW is 21-1 in the series, with that one loss coming in 2019 at the Field House when MU rallied from a 2-0 deficit. This season's matchup marks the third time in the past four meetings that both teams are ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25.
The success of both programs has helped the rivalry become an anticipated annual matchup.
“Just competitive matches every year,” Sheffield said. “It’s just right down the road. It’s good for the state. It’s good for their program. It’s good for our program. We’re doing it at both places. I think it’s been a win-win for the programs. I think it’ been a win-win for the fans.”
More:NCAA declares UW volleyball transfer Shanel Bramschreiber ineligible for first half of season
More:Wisconsin volleyball's Anna Smrek is ready to build on the fantastic finish to her freshman season
The relationship between the coaches also makes it an easy match to schedule. Sheffield was the coach at Dayton from 2008-12 before landing at UW. Theis led Ohio from 2008-13 before getting hired by MU.
"We’ve known each other quite a while now and I’ve got nothing but good things to say," Theis said. "I’ve done coaching clinics at his place and he’s done stuff over here and we schedule each other in the spring. And so we get along well.”
Theis wants to take the rivalry to even another level.
"If we can get that game one of these years at Fiserv (Forum) and get that place packed, I think that would be pretty meaningful," the MU coach said. "I think both teams are on board in trying to make that happen. It’s just got to work out.
"I think that helps and I think two quality opponents playing against each other in the non-con is good anyway. And so Kelly has been great about wanting to doing it and I want to do it. So we keep going.”
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2022-09-01T16:49:44Z
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Wisconsin unveiling volleyball championship banner against Marquette
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/09/01/wisconsin-unveiling-volleyball-championship-banner-against-marquette/7958428001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2022/09/01/wisconsin-unveiling-volleyball-championship-banner-against-marquette/7958428001/
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Marigold Marketplace & Creative Studio has closed in downtown Menomonee Falls
After six years in business, Marigold Marketplace & Creative Studio has announced its closing.
The announcement was made on Facebook at the end of July. The owners noted that because their lease is up, they are looking for other opportunities.
"We are sad to let you know that we are closing our doors to Marigold. We appreciate your support over the last several years, but with our lease coming to an end, it’s time for a new chapter!" the post said.
The business had about 50 to 70 vendors selling unique products.
It's not the first long-time business to close in Menomonee Falls this summer. Wondersound Music closed after 10 years in business in June because of some of the same challenges many businesses are facing now: staff shortages, inflation, and supply and demand issues. When its lease was up, owner Jeff Holmes said it was easier to make the decision to close.
"Both of them were not ready to sign a long-term lease," said Cailyn Kison, social media manager for Menomonee Falls Downtown.
"We need retail," Kison said, noting that people like the unique shops found downtown.
She suggested that prospective business owners look into the Main Street Bounceback grant program, which provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and nonprofit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin's downtowns and commercial corridors. The program is extended until Dec. 31; all commercial properties of 400 square feet are eligible, according to Wisconsin Economic Development.
"This program is great for new business. We hope this grant program helps encourage new businesses to come to Menomonee Falls' downtown," Kison said.
For more information on this program, visit wedc.org/programs-and-resources/mainstreet-bounceback-grants.
More:Downtown Menomonee Falls grows again with addition of Babe Beauty Co. and Forte Films + Skills
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2022-09-01T18:45:31Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Marigold Marketplace & Creative Studio is closing in Menomonee Falls
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/01/marigold-marketplace-creative-studio-closing-menomonee-falls/7949059001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/01/marigold-marketplace-creative-studio-closing-menomonee-falls/7949059001/
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University of Wisconsin sophomore sensation Braelon Allen could be a Heisman Trophy candidate this season.
Not bad for a tailback who thought he was going to play linebacker for the Badgers.
Get to know Allen here.
Where is Braelon Allen from?
His hometown is Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He was a football star at Fond du Lac High School.
How old is Braelon Allen?
He is 18 years old. But he was 17 during last season leading announcers to gush, "Braelon Allen is only 17!"
When is Braelon Allen's birthday?
He was born on Jan. 20, 2004.
What is Braelon Allen's height?
235 pounds.
More:Can Wisconsin's ground game flourish on third down? The linemen understand the numbers must be better in 2022
What were Braelon Allen's statistics last season?
He was only used on special teams in his first college game. He carried the ball just 12 times for 49 yards in UW's first four games.
Allen led the Badgers and ranked third in the Big Ten with 1,268 rushing yards, joining Ron Dayne (1996), James White (2010) and Jonathan Taylor (2017) as the only true freshmen in school history to run for 1,000 yards.
He averaged 6.82 yards per carry, tied with Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson for the best average in the nation among backs with at least 140 carries. Over 65% of his rushing total came after contact. He rushed for at least 100 yards in eight games, including a streak of seven straight 100-yard games. That streak was the longest by a freshman in school history. Only Anthony Davis (2001) and Taylor (2017) had more 100-yard games as a freshman at UW.
His eight 100-yard rushing games tied him with Kenneth Walker III of Michigan State for most in the Big Ten. His nine rushes of 30-plus yards were the most by a Big Ten player and tied for fourth-most in the country. Only nine of his 186 carries (4.8%) went for negative yardage. He ran for 228 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning score with 3:50 left in a game against Nebraska. The week prior, in his first career start, he ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns against Northwestern.
He ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries at Purdue. He was named MVP of the Las Vegas Bowl after rushing for 159 yards on 29 carries.
Braelon Allen honors and awards
He is on the 2022 Maxwell Award preseason watch list and the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. Last season, he was a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award finalist, Walter Camp Freshman All-American and consensus second-team All-Big Ten. He was the Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 15) and the Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Oct. 18, Nov. 8).
What's Braelon Allen's 40-time and other measurables?
He has recorded a 4.59-second 40-yard dash, 32.5-inch vertical leap, 9-foot, 8-inch broad jump, 6.91-second three-cone drill and a 4.16-second 20-yard shuttle. He also had a 610-pound squat and a 405-pound power clean.
What were Braelon Allen's high school accomplishments at Fond du Lac?
He was a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals. He recorded 48 tackles with 6.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and three interceptions as a sophomore safety.
He ran for 621 yards on 76 carries with six TDs, and averaged 29.1 yards as a kick returner. He was named second-team All-America by MaxPreps as a sophomore.
He was named to the WFCA all-state team on both offense (running back) and defense (safety) in 2021. He rushed 1,039 yards (in seven games) on 71 carries, averaging of 14.6 yards per carry and finished with 23 touchdowns and 135 receiving yards as a senior.
What is Braelon Allen's nickname?
Man Child
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2022-09-01T22:21:00Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Get to know Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/01/wisconsin-badgers-football-running-back-braelon-allen-heisman-candidate-birthday-height-weight-stats/7946071001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/01/wisconsin-badgers-football-running-back-braelon-allen-heisman-candidate-birthday-height-weight-stats/7946071001/
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The Milwaukee Brewers' outfield has received another injection of youthful exuberance.
Esteury Ruiz, one of the two minor-leaguers acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Josh Hader trade last month, was recalled from Class AAA Nashville on Thursday in advance of the team's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Right-hander Luis Perdomo was also recalled, adding depth to the bullpen as teams were allowed to expand their rosters from 26 to 28 players.
The 23-year-old Ruiz joins Garrett Mitchell – recalled from Nashville on Saturday – as the first two of a group of high-profile outfield prospects to reach the majors with the Brewers as they seek a strong September push for their fifth consecutive postseason appearance.
Mitchell has already made an impact, homering and driving in four runs in his first two starts.
Now, Ruiz will get his shot.
In 22 games at Nashville, he hit .326 with an .778 OPS and 10 stolen bases.
In 99 total games between Class AA and Class AAA this season, Ruiz hit .332 with 13 home runs, 51 runs batted in, a .973 OPS and 70 stolen bases – a total that was tied for the lead at all minor-league levels.
"He is an unbelievable ballplayer and an even better person," Mitchell, Ruiz's teammate from the time of Ruiz's trade to Milwaukee on Aug. 2 to Mitchell's callup to the Brewers on Saturday.
Ruiz has played primarily center field this season but has also logged time in left and right. With the Brewers, he'll most likely need to work his way into a rotation in center that includes Mitchell and Tyrone Taylor – like Ruiz, a right-handed hitter.
His speed will also give manager Craig Counsell a major weapon off the bench in late-inning situations.
"Esterury Ruiz is arguably the most exciting prospect riser in minor-league baseball," is how president of baseball operations David Stearns described Ruiz days after trading for him.
The Brewers also received left-handers Taylor Rogers and Robert Gasser in the deal. Rogers has quickly become an important piece in the Brewers' bullpen while Gasser was promoted from Class AA Biloxi to Nashville on Tuesday.
"He's had a tremendous season," said Stearns of Ruiz. "He's one of the fastest players in minor-league baseball who is beginning to develop some power and is a tremendous kid."
Perdomo, meanwhile, went 1-0 with a 1.74 earned run average and WHIP of 1.06 in seven May appearances with the Brewers.
He spent 56 games on the injured list with an elbow injury before returning to action with Nashville on July 13.
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2022-09-02T00:09:17Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Brewers recall outfielder Esteury Ruiz who was part of Josh Hader deal
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/01/brewers-recall-outfielder-esteury-ruiz-who-part-josh-hader-deal/7958470001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/01/brewers-recall-outfielder-esteury-ruiz-who-part-josh-hader-deal/7958470001/
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'What are you going to do for working people?': Wisconsin AFL-CIO president speaks on importance of labor for midterms
It's been more than two years since Milwaukee hosted Laborfest and with President Joe Biden planning to attend, it marks the first time since 2014 that a sitting president is scheduled to attend the event.
The annual festival hadn't been held since 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and logistical issues in 2021. Labor leaders are excited to be gather again especially two months before a major mid-term election.
The Wisconsin races for governor and U.S. Senate have put the state in a national spotlight.
In those races, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO has endorsed incumbent Democrat Tony Evers for governor over Republican challenger Tim Michels, and Democrat Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes for Senate over incumbent Ron Johnson.
In addition to President Biden, Evers and Barnes are planning to attend Laborfest on Monday along with the national president of the AFL-CIO Liz Shuler.
Although the AFL-CIO has mostly endorsed Democratic candidates, Wisconsin AFL-CIO president Stephanie Bloomingdales said the organization is non-partisan.
"We are open to making endorsements on either side of the aisle. And in fact, historically, we have," Bloomingdale said. "But what has happened in the state is it has become more and more polarized."
Bloomingdale said the organization is focused on how candidates can help workers if elected.
In interviews with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bloomingdale and Shuler talked about what role labor and labor policy will have on the 2022 midterms.
Question: What are some of the issues that are on the ballot this fall that pertain to workers and labor policy?
Bloomingdale: Thinking about some of the top issues in this state is who is the candidate that is going to make our infrastructure is going to be built up? We know that we have the bipartisan Infrastructure Act that was passed allowing so many people to get to work with good paying jobs to rebuild our infrastructure.
Gov. Evers talks about this a lot, and we agree with him, we wanted him to fix the damn roads and he has fixed the roads.
Another issue that I think is really important, is our water safe in Wisconsin? We know that there are lots of threats to that. Gov. Evers has worked very, very hard to put good union skilled workers to the job in Milwaukee and other places where those lead laterals exist. This is away to not only help our kids by making sure our water is safe but it’s also building not just jobs, but careers for people.
Shuler: Whether we have an economy that works for all or one that benefits just the privileged few is among the most critical issues on voters’ minds this fall. We’ve made significant progress for working people in the last two years. The Infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act, Inflation Reduction Act, student debt relief and more workers exercising their freedom to join a union have put our nation on a path to a more fair and just economy for workers and their families.
But that progress could disappear an instant if the CEOs, politicians and candidates they bankroll take control of Congress. This is the fundamental question facing Wisconsin voters this election. Do we want to continue progress for working people or hand of the reins to politicians we know will increase inequality, reduce wages, erode basic freedoms and make our lives more difficult.
Voters want a workers’ agenda and they’re ready to fight for it.
How do you hold people like Gov. Evers to account on some of these issues on workers?
Bloomingdale: Our work doesn’t stop on Election Day. Our work continues to hold these politicians accountable to the working people that elected them, and that’s not an easy task. We need to make sure that we are on top of the issues day-to-day, minute by minute. This legislature, the way that it is, you just don’t know what’s going to pop-up.
What are today’s issues that workers should care about?
Bloomingdale: People, I believe, have been lulled into a false sense of complacency. And people think we don’t need to worry about safety for kids on the job, we don’t need to worry about the eight hour work day, we don’t need to worry about making sure people have time off to care for their families. But indeed we do because our struggle doesn’t ever end.
We need to continue to fight for working people and if we stop fighting, we go backwards. You say “wages are going up,” they’re still not going up to the point where people can feel that security that they need to have a good middle class life and we know that it’s the unions that built this middle class.
Without strong unions we cannot have a healthy, striving middle class.
We are still fighting about issues about safety on the job, look at what we just went through with the pandemic.
We were out there each and every day making sure we were fighting for safety on the job because our system was woefully unprepared to meet the needs of working people to get us through this pandemic and we should never make this mistake again.
There’s always good things that come out of bad things. We had a terrible pandemic but I think we reignited the understanding for people that we need to take workplace protection and safety seriously.
There’s basic overtime protections that are always being threatened in one way or another.
There’s also the issue of licensing. And this Republican legislature is hell bent on rolling back our licenses in this state. Every year they’re putting forward legislation that’s going to reduce the quality of the product that people expect and also the skills that are required to do those jobs.
We’re seeing a lot of threats on licensecure, this is part of a nationwide trend. We know that every year these things come up.
Shuler: The governor’s race and the Senate race here in Wisconsin are among the most watched in the nation and there’s a good reason for that. The contrast between the candidates on workers issues couldn’t be more clear. Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes fight for workers. They champion the issues that matter to working people. Control of the US Senate could come down to Wisconsin. Sen. Johnson has consistently stood with the wealthy and privileged and against working Wisconsinites. He voted against lowering prescription drug costs for seniors. He even says he wants to eliminate Social Security and Medicare as we know it and leave our benefits in the hands of politicians like himself. That’s the absolute wrong direction for working people.
But what gives me hope is the dedication and commitment of the labor movement in Wisconsin to a brighter future. This labor movement is battle tested and we know how hard union members in Wisconsin will fight to ensure that all Wisconsin workers have a fair shot at the American Dream. This is among the most engaged labor movements in the country and the work union members do over the next two months could determine the fate of our country.
We've seen unions form at Colectivo, a Starbucks in Oak Creek, Raven Software in Middleton, and the Pabst Theater Group in Milwaukee. There seems to be something going on with labor at this moment, why do you think that is?
Bloomingdale: This is definitely the moment for workers to increase our power. We know that this opportunity needs to be taken seriously at this very moment. People are fed up at work. They’re fed up with working really hard and not being able to get ahead. They’re fed up with having to work two jobs. Fed up with healthcare that costs too much.
People are fed up and I think the pandemic helped focus people on what they want for their future. It allowed people to reimagine what it means to have real success in life. And one of the things that’s holding us back is this unfettered ability for corporations to do union busting. They’re allowed to break the law or come right up to the edge of breaking the law. And in America we should have the freedom to join a union if we want to join a union, and that’s not happening right now because our labor laws are so broken.
So that’s why we support the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, that will make the playing field more fair for workers to stop what a lot of these workers has gone through.
When you talk about Raven Software, they went through one-on-one intimidation. When you’re talking about Starbucks, the union busters come in, these are high priced, shady outfits that basically come in and have an agenda to dissuade people, in sometimes very ugly ways, from organizing their union.
If we really want to have a solid middle class and we want to have prosperity, then we need to have worker to have the freedom to join a union.
This moment is significant and it’s a game changer for working people.
What’s going on with CNH Industrial, where workers couldn’t come to an agreement with their employers so they went on strike and the employers brought in replacement workers, that seems to be a bloody fight. Do you see that as an example of employers striking back against workers who are making demands?
This fight is an age-old fight. Workers having the courage to take that step is very difficult, very significant and all that we have has not been given to us, it’s been because we have fought for those gains that have been made. We look behind us to those people that have made those gains for us and have sacrificed, and these people who are out on that strike line are doing that today.
And it is not easy for them to do this. It is not easy to say “We’re going to be here one day longer, one day stronger,” but they are. And that is what the workers at CNH are doing and we’ve seen more strike action in these last couple of years than we’ve seen in a very long time.
How important is Wisconsin in the future of the labor movement?
Shuler: Wisconsin has a storied tradition of worker activism and unionism. Whenever we think about the future of the labor movement, Wisconsin is central to that. Union members here persevered through years of attacks by (former Governor) Scott Walker and other anti-worker politicians. They set out to destroy Wisconsin’s labor movement. But it didn’t work.
Union workers are more engaged and active than ever in building their communities and restoring America’s promise for all. And, based on what I’ve seen, they’re fired up and ready to go this election season to make a real difference.
What does it mean for President Biden to be coming here on Monday?
Bloomingdale: This is very, very significant. We’re so excited to be welcoming President Biden. He’s the most pro-union president in the history of this country. He understands the importance of unions not just because it’s a good thing, but as a matter of economic policy. He understands that in order to build this country and what we need, we need to make sure we have strong unions.
Shuler: President Biden’s visit here on Labor Day shows just how much he values and respects Wisconisin’s workers and the state’s proud labor tradition. The president has been fighting for us. It’s great to have him come here to speak with workers directly about what he’s done and what he will do in the future for workers and their families.
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2022-09-02T12:36:20Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Wisconsin AFL-CIO president speaks on importance of labor for midterms
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/09/02/wisconsin-afl-cio-president-speaks-importance-labor-midterms/7903816001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/09/02/wisconsin-afl-cio-president-speaks-importance-labor-midterms/7903816001/
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Two faith-based groups team up to host a pop-up pantry on the city's north side
La Risa R. Lynch
Pastor Dennis Harmon of Mission of Christ Lutheran Church always wanted to open a grocery store in his north side community.
He wanted to pattern it after a neighborhood store his family patronized back in the late 1950s.
“Mr. Barnes owned a corner store on 10th and Locust, and he would always take care of our family — most of the families in that neighborhood until payday. If we didn’t have bread or milk, he would supply that,” Harmon, 64, said.
Harmon wanted the store to be more than a place where residents could buy fresh fruits and vegetables. He wanted it to be a resource where the community can find information on jobs and other social services.
But circumstances never aligned for the store to happen.
“For years, I was just spinning my wheels,” Harmon said. “I couldn’t get it off the ground. I really knew nothing about the grocery store business.”
The idea sat on the back burner until a chance introduction to Michael Haas of Ebenezer Stone Ministries, a nonprofit serving Milwaukee’s south side. Both shared a mission to serve the community and address food insecurity. Instead of the grocery store, the two partnered to start a food pantry on a vacant lot Harmon owns on North 20th and West Center streets.
In Milwaukee County, 1 in 8 residents face food insecurity, according to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. Among Blacks, 1 in 4 or 27% are food insecure, and for Hispanics, 1 in 5 or 20% are food insecure. The food insecurity rate for children under 18 increased to 25.5%, up from 21.1%.
Pop-up pantries to be a placeholder
Until the pantry is built, Harmon and Haas will host a series of pop-up food pantries at the location. Harmon sees the pop-ups as a placeholder until they secure funding to erect a physical building, known as Ebenezer North, on the site.
But their mission is broader than just the pantry. They are eyeing a house adjacent to the lot to be a community resource center offering the support services Harmon wanted inside his store.
Until then, residents can utilize Mission of Christ Lutheran Church’s pantry on Mondays and Fridays. Harmon and Haas hope to operate the pop-up pantry at least twice a month. It had an initial roll out in early August. Another is slated for September.
The pop-up pantry will be different, Harmon said. It will offer fresh fruits, produce and meats like chicken, beef or even steak when available.
Harmon said the area is not lacking food pantries. From 27th to 9th streets along Center Street, there are about 18 churches, many of which give out food on certain days, he said. Most of it is canned and dry goods like beans and cereal.
“It’s going to be a great blessing for that neighborhood, especially with the fresh fruits and fresh meats,” Harmon said. “It is going to be eye-opening for those folks in that community once they realize all we have in store for them.”
An expansion for Ebenezer Stone
The partnership marks the expansion for Ebenezer Stone Ministries, which primarily serves the city’s south side. The faith-based organization already operates Ebenezer South, a pantry at 1127 S. 35th Street. And Ebenezer East — its warehouse location on Bruce Street — is a Feeding America food redistribution outlet supplying smaller pantries with food surpluses.
The warehouse is equipped with a walk-in cooler and freezer allowing it to receive and store fresh fruits, produce, meats, eggs and dairy products including milk. It services 22 pantries or organizations from the Milwaukee River to the Illinois border. Since opening last year, Ebenezer East has provided 234,000 pounds of food.
Ebenezer Stone Ministries’ Executive Director Haas is excited about the partnership.
The north side, he said, is a food desert. Access to fresh fruits and vegetables in this community is almost nonexistent, he said. The produce sections in some local grocery stores are not as robust as those in affluent white suburbs or even certain areas in the city, Haas noted.
“We really wanted to make sure that the north side has access to fresh fruits and fresh vegetables and protein. That’s our main goal,” Haas said.
The partnership seemed ordained to Harmon. Some of Ebenezer Stone’s programming aligned with what Harmon hopes to offer. In addition to the food pantry, Ebenezer Stone provides several meal programs including a bag lunch, hot meals and a Saturday breakfast. They also provide youth programming and supportive services such as ESL and job training classes.
“They are doing everything I had the desire to do right there on 20th and Center,” Harmon said.
Harmon and Haas hope to use the house to provide similar services. They have reached out to the homeowner about acquiring or renting the property. They are leasing for $1 two city vacant lots to create a community garden.
A broader mission
Harmon wants to provide financial literacy, mental health, and dental services. He also wants to offer cooking demonstrations to prepare healthy dishes using food from the pantry.
If they achieve their vision for Ebenezer North — the resource house, the pantry and the community garden, Haas said that would be "huge” for that community. The concept is to provide wrap-around services for area residents where they will have access to mental health, addiction services and could apply for FoodShare or enroll in the state’s health insurance program.
“We want to be an informational center and a guidance to those folks in that community,” Harmon said. “It is all about taking care of the total person, mind, body and soul. That’s my drive.”
Whatever the reason for the pop-up pantry, Peterson Saurel, 41, of Milwaukee, is glad it's here. Saurel has been unable to work. He said his girlfriend is the only income earner, which makes it tough to provide for their four children.
“This is a blessing,” said Saurel, who had a box piled high with chicken, brats, bacon, sausage, bologna, croissants and cereal. “This is pretty much the hardest thing to come by.”
Saurel said he only gets about $300 in food stamps and that’s only a couple of days’ worth of groceries. Food, he said, is already high and inflation doesn’t help.
“By the time you put six things in your cart, you’re at $100,” he said. “You can’t even walk out of Walmart with a whole bunch of bags of groceries. You’re literally walking out with six or seven bags in your hands from shopping with $300.
“I like to drive around to see if I can find stuff like this to make sure my family is good. This really does help a lot,” he said.
For more information on upcoming dates for the pop-up pantries call Mission of Christ Lutheran Church at 414-264-4050.
La Risa Lynch is a community affairs reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Email her at llynch@gannett.com
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2022-09-02T12:36:20Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Faith-based groups host pop-up food pantry on north side of Milwaukee
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/02/faith-based-groups-host-pop-up-food-pantry-north-side-milwaukee/10206524002/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/02/faith-based-groups-host-pop-up-food-pantry-north-side-milwaukee/10206524002/
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A new vintage toy store, offering collectibles from the 1980s to today, has opened in South Milwaukee
Walking into Immortal Toys and Collectables, 907B Milwaukee Ave., in South Milwaukee is akin to stepping inside a toy store from the end of the 20th century.
You've changed since then, but the toys mostly look the same — especially if they are still in box or “on-card” action figures.
Owner Fermin Burgos, a South Milwaukee resident, is proud of his collection of new toys from days gone by and he’s looking to share them.
He does offer loose figures, too, which can show some wear. While they don't have their packaging, they come with evidence of games played and memories made with previous owners.
Burgos wants to “bring nostalgia for what you had as a child.”
“Toys last forever,” he said.
The store specializes in toys from the 1980s and 90s
The soft open for Immortal Toys and Collectables is from noon to 6 p.m., Sept. 2.
Going forward, the store will be open Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Burgos is also willing to set up a special appointment outside store hours for people looking to sell or trade.
The goal of Immortal Toys and Collectables is to give collectors, and those who want to relive their childhoods, access to toys locally instead of having to go on sites like eBay, Burgos said.
The store is filled with collections including G.I. Joe, Superman, Batman, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Hot Wheels, professional wrestling (modern and vintage) and more. Toys from movies like Small Soldiers and JAWS are also available and there is a wall of POP vinyl figures.
One of his pricier offerings is a large Marvel Legends Series HasLab Sentinel figure from Hasbro. He estimated he’d be selling it for $650.
The main area of the store is full, but Burgos said there is more room pushing back into the space. He said he could eventually also offer video games and comics — he has a few of the latter already available. However, his main goal is and will always be toys.
In addition to selling, Burgos is interested in buying vintage toys as well to add to his inventory.
Much of his current stock comes from many sources including Facebook, flea markets, antique stores and auctions. Burgos said pricing will be based on demand, but he hopes to sell items for less than is typical on eBay and hover around the cost seen in big-box stores for modern toys.
“I’ll do the best I can,” he said.
Burgos said he does have some modern toys but his focus is the 1980s and 1990s.
“I enjoy the toys of that era,” he said, adding he’s especially a fan of Superman and the Incredible Hulk.
Burgos turned his vintage toy passion into a small business
Burgos began collecting and selling about three years ago and really dove into it during the pandemic.
Burgos works for Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development and the new store is an extension of his passion. It’s his first business, and he credits his wife, Enilda Burgos, with pushing him to open it.
“I never would have thought of a store without her,” he said.
Before, he was holding auctions online via Facebook with piles of toys in his basement.
“It was his dream,” Enilda Burgos said of the store, adding the location was “meant to be.”
Originally planning to open in Bay View, Fermin Burgos spotted the South Milwaukee storefront — it's about five minutes from his house — for rent while driving home during the Fourth of July weekend. He called the owner expecting a voicemail due to the holiday, but they answered.
Soon after, Burgos was signing a year lease.
He said he’s glad to be part of South Milwaukee, a city he said has “so much potential.”
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2022-09-02T15:46:04Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Vintage toys, collectibles for sale in new South Milwaukee store
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/09/02/vintage-toys-collectibles-sale-new-south-milwaukee-store/7957980001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/south-milwaukee/2022/09/02/vintage-toys-collectibles-sale-new-south-milwaukee-store/7957980001/
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Three Pillars plans $125M expansion to nearly 200 acres in Dousman, add more senior living and retail
Three Pillars Senior Living Communities is planning a major expansion in the village of Dousman that would add more than 500 senior living units and retail establishments on 190 acres north of Highway 18.
Three Pillars reacquired 190 acres in 2020 across Highway 18 from its current location on Main Street. A nearly 300-acre farm, mansion and buildings were donated in 1905 by Willard Van Brunt to the Wisconsin Masons for the purpose of caring for seniors.
Since 1953, a large section of the land was leased for other purposes for the community and also a farm that is still active there today. In 2020, Three Pillars reacquired the 190 acres across Highway 18 for the massive expansion, which is expected to include a resource center, various levels and types of care in different size and type homes and multi-person facilities and retail and community spaces.
Three Pillars had already begun expanding, most recently opening an expanded memory care facility on its campus. Now, it is planning this additional up-to- $125 million expansion on its new land.
"There’s so many exciting things happening in Lake Country, and we’re really excited about not only this growth but what it means for the surrounding community," said Josh Van Den Berg, chief strategy officer for Three Pillars. "To be able to have a state-of-the-art resource center to help support dementia research and families and support the growth here. We’re really excited about it."
The timeline varies for the different sections planned for the land. The first phase is expected to begin this fall with the construction of eight homes along Highway 67, south of Highway 18 and west of the Bark River.
Other projects will start either next year or beyond, including a memory care and memory loss facility with about 54 units expected to break ground in spring 2023; a group of lofts, homes and villas totaling 128 units expected to begin in fall 2023; and at least 10 apartments, with the possibility of more, that have no timeline yet.
In total, 505 units would be added on the nearly 300 acres. That would build on the existing 315 units between Three Pillars' existing structures. The entire campus will be connected by walking and biking trails, including a bridge over the Bark River and an underpass across Highway 18.
Van Den Berg said all of the construction should be completed by 2025.
“We’ve heard a lot of positivity from the community so far,” Van Den Berg said. "I think the community's excited about it. I think these expressions of interest we've heard lately, a lot of excitement about what it looks like and what we can actually do with senior living going forward.”
In addition to the residential living facilities, there are also plans to have retail and community gathering spaces on the bottom floors of buildings as well as elsewhere in the community. A childcare facility and storage facilities are also included in current plans.
Van Den Berg said that much of the plans are still in the works. Three Pillars hopes to work with community members on other amenities like a supper club, dog park and a kayak launch on the Bark River.
"We're talking about a number of different things here: supper club, pub, game room, theater, amphitheater, wellness spaces, et cetera, a welcome center with the history center," Van Den Berg said.
The expansion plans are expected to go before the Dousman Village Board in September
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2022-09-02T18:33:35Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Three Pillars plans $125M expansion in Dousman
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/09/02/three-pillars-plans-125-m-expansion-dousman/7971392001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/2022/09/02/three-pillars-plans-125-m-expansion-dousman/7971392001/
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As we head into autumn, is it also the autumn of the American Experiment? Let's hope not; the world needs America.
None of us is alive to remember what the late historian David Fromkin called “the hot, sun-drenched, gorgeous summer of 1914, the most beautiful within memory,” which he wrote, in "Europe’s Last Summer," his 2004 masterpiece about the coming of the catastrophe of World War I, “was remembered by many Europeans as a kind of Eden.” The Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig, perhaps the most popular literary figure in all of Europe, said that he could hardly remember a summer “more luxuriant, more beautiful, and, I am tempered to say, more summery.”
Even the most skilled meteorologists get their forecasts wrong; they’re more adept at analyzing present conditions. It is the same with columnists, whose predictions are notoriously unreliable. So in the next few minutes of reading you won’t find any prognostications (or prescriptions), just some unscientific political and social climatology, subject to the (considerable) limits of atmospheric analysis.
The political weather is stormy. Bruce Reinhart, the judge who signed the warrant leading to the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago earlier this month and is a member of the board of Temple Beth David in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., was targeted with anti-Semitic remarks and threats, with one person writing, “I see a rope around his neck.”
The phrase “civil war” is in the air, or at least on the Internet. These are the two most frightening words in the American lexicon. The real Civil War produced 620,000 deaths, a percentage rate of the population equivalent to the demise of 6 million Americans today.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, noting the growth of “civil war” references, reported they have observed “an increase in threats to federal law enforcement and, to a lesser extent, other law enforcement and government officials following the FBI's recent execution of a search warrant in Palm Beach."
Now the climate. It’s an understatement to say that it is unsettled. There are many barometers, but the most unsettling may come from a study released three days before the Mar-a-Lago raid. Based on a Pew Research Center poll taken in early summer, it found alarming increases in the rate of Americans who say members of the opposing party are more immoral, dishonest, closed-minded than other Americans.
The poll showed that three-quarters of Republicans believe Democrats are more immoral than other Americans, and that two-thirds of Democrats believe the reverse. It found that 83 percent of Democrats, and 69 percent of Republicans, believe members of the opposite party are more close-minded than other Americans.
The most troubling book I’ve read recently is "The Next Civil War," by the Canadian writer Stephen Marche. “One way or another, the United States is coming to an end,” he writes. “The divisions have become intractable. The political parties are irreconcilable. The capacity for government to make policy is diminishing. The icons of national unity are losing their power to represent.”
Toward the end of the book he writes, “If the American experiment fails, and it is failing, the world will be poorer, more brutal, lesser. The world needs America, the American faith, even if that idea was only ever a half-truth. The rest of the world needs to imagine a place where you can become yourself, where you can shed your past, where contractions that lead to genocide elsewhere flourish into prosperity.”
I believe that the world needs America, and I believe especially that Americans need the conception of America that he envisions, above the northern border. I also believe every word that Abraham Lincoln spoke in his Annual Message to Congress delivered 160 years ago: “We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.”
The question that lingers: Did the Great Recession create fissures in our national passage that set in motion our current crisis, deepening the natural divide between elites and working Americans and creating the tinder on which the fires of contemporary contention spread? The historian Richard Overy, writing in "Blood and Ruins," his magisterial 2021 account of World War II, said that the Great Depression “played the major part in destroying the efforts to reconstruct a global order after 1919” and suggests “the collapse of the world economy was a…decisive turning point.”
Or: Does 2008 explain 2022?
One is that, whatever the truth is about Russia’s interference in American elections and American life — whether or not Vladimir Putin actually tried to disrupt American democracy in 2016 and beyond — there is no question that he can only be delighted by the current state of American democracy.
The other is that, whatever your view of the causes of the current domestic dystopia, the past several decades in American life — despite the ups and downs of the economy, the crimes and misdemeanors of various politicians, the comings and goings of crises — have been, as Fromkin wrote of pre-World War I Europe, a kind of Eden. The United States was admired around the world, its culture embraced across the globe, its people generally pleased with their circumstances, its rough edges becoming smoothed, its rights being expanded, its blind spots on race and class being subject to the liberating light. Sadly, it is clear that summer’s over.
David M. Shribman is the former executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Email dshribman@post-gazette.com. Twitter: @ShribmanPG
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2022-09-02T18:33:47Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Are we in autumn of the American Experiment? The world needs America.
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/we-autumn-american-experiment-world-needs-america/7932460001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/we-autumn-american-experiment-world-needs-america/7932460001/
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After he riddled Illinois and stunned the college football world in his debut as a redshirt freshman in 2020, Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz has had a bumpy ride.
But Mertz, now a junior, is determined to show that he isn't a one-game wonder.
Get to know Mertz here.
Where is Graham Mertz from?
His hometown is Overland Park, Kansas. His first two years of high school were spent at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. Before his junior year, Mertz transferred to Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas.
How old is Graham Mertz?
When is Graham Mertz's birthday?
He was born on Dec. 6, 2000.
How tall is Graham Mertz?
He weighs 216 pounds.
Badger football tickets:How to get tickets for Wisconsin football games in 2022 and what to know about Camp Randall carry-ins, parking and tailgating
Braelon Allen profile:What to know about Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen, including stats, age, height, weight and more
What were Graham Mertz's statistics last season?
He completed 169 of 284 passes (59.5%) for 1,958 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Mertz threw nine touchdown passes against just five interceptions over the final 10 games of the season and completed 66.4% of his passes over the final five games.
One of the highlights was an 11-of-16 performance for 240 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-3 win at Rutgers. His 244.1 pass efficiency in that game was third-highest by a Big Ten quarterback in a conference game last season.
He went 18-for-23 for 216 yards and two touchdowns against Northwestern the following week. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards and a score in the Las Vegas Bowl victory over Arizona State.
What were Graham Mertz's statistics in the 2020 season?
He completed 118 of 194 passes (60.8%) for 1,220 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in the COVID-shortened season.
He became the first Wisconsin freshman to start a season opener at quarterback since 1978, going 20-for-21 (95.2%), 248 yards and five touchdowns against Illinois. The completion percentage was a Wisconsin record. His five touchdown passes tied the highest single-game total in UW history. Mertz finished with a pass efficiency rating of 277.1, the third-highest mark in Wisconsin history. He completed his first 17 passes, matching the Badgers’ single-game school record for consecutive completions (third-longest streak in a conference game in Big Ten history). His 248 yards passing was the third-highest single-game total by a Wisconsin freshman.
Mertz also threw for two touchdowns in a win at Michigan. He capped the season with a passing touchdown and two rushing scores in UW's Duke's Mayo Bowl victory over Wake Forest. After the game, he dropped and shattered the bowl game trophy.
He appeared in two games as a backup quarterback. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 73 yards. He went 4-for-5 for 35 yards in his Badgers debut vs. Central Michigan Sept. 7. He was 5-for-5 for 38 yards and had a 10-yard run vs. Kent State on Oct. 5. He was then redshirted.
Graham Mertz honors and awards
In 2021, he made the Academic All-Big Ten team. In the preseason, he was on the Manning Award watch list, Davey O’Brien Award watch list and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list.
In 2020, he was on the Davey O’Brien Award midseason watch list. He was the Maxwell Award Player of the Week (Oct. 26), Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) and Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Oct. 26). He made the Academic All-Big Ten team.
What were Graham Mertz's high school accomplishments?
He led Blue Valley North to a Class 6A state championship as a junior, and to state runner-up as a senior. In his senior year he completed 61.1% of his passes for 3,886 yards and a state-record 51 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Elite 11 quarterback competition in 2018 and was named Gatorade Kansas Football Player of the Year. He was invited to the All-American Bowl after his senior season, where he set a bowl record with five touchdown passes and was named the game's MVP.
What was Graham Mertz's ranking with ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals out of high school?
He was rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports.com, and Rivals.com. ESPN rated him as the best pocket passer in the class of 2019 and 21st highest rated recruit overall. In the 247Sports Composite, Mertz was rated as the third-highest rated pro-style quarterback, the highest rated Kansas recruit, and 65th highest rated recruit overall.
What is Graham Mertz's major?
Retailing and consumer behavior.
Who is Graham Mertz's family?
His parents are Ron and Amy Mertz. His father played football at Minnesota from 1989-92. His sister, Lauren, played basketball at Kansas State in 2014-15. His other sister, Mya, played basketball at Drake from 2016-21.
What are Graham Mertz's Twitter and Instagram accounts?
On Twitter, Mertz is at @GrahamMertz5.
On Instagram, Mertz is at graham_mertz5.
Does Graham Mertz have merchandise and any Name, Image and Likeness deals?
Yes. He has a personal clothing line. He also has a deal with Pepsi.
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2022-09-02T23:20:37Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Get to know Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/02/wisconsin-badgers-quarterback-graham-mertz-website-high-school-merchandise-twitter-instagram/7965578001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/02/wisconsin-badgers-quarterback-graham-mertz-website-high-school-merchandise-twitter-instagram/7965578001/
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Christkindlmarket is skipping Milwaukee again in 2022; to fill the void, the Bucks plan more attractions for 'Cheer District'
The Chicago-based Christkindlmarket won't be coming back to Milwaukee again this year, but the Milwaukee Bucks are working on a backup plan.
German American Events, which has hosted Christkindlmarkets in the Chicago area since 1996, brought the German-style outdoor holiday market to the Deer District outside Fiserv Forum in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 market was the first major outdoor event held in the plaza outside the then-new Bucks arena.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down plans for the market in 2020; last year, the organization said it had decided not to return to Milwaukee for the 2021 holiday season because it "did not receive enough vendor interest" to continue.
Last week, the organization unveiled its three planned Christkindlmarket locations for 2022: in Daley Plaza in the heart of Chicago, Gallagher Way in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood, in RiverEdge Park in Aurora, the western Chicago suburb.
The latter is a new location for the Christkindlmarket; the Daley Plaza site is marking its 26th season, while the Wrigleyville market will be in its fourth year. All three will open Nov. 18.
Christkindlmarket confirmed via email Thursday that it won't operate a Christmas market in Milwaukee in 2022.
That doesn't mean you won't hear sleigh bells outside Fiserv Forum this holiday season.
The Bucks are planning some holiday events of their own in the plaza outside the NBA arena.
The Milwaukee Business Journal first reported the Bucks' plans.
"Deer District will once again transform into Cheer District for the holidays, and will feature activations from past years, in addition to new family-friendly experiences that will be announced at a later date," the Bucks said in a statement emailed to the Journal Sentinel Friday.
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2022-09-03T16:22:50Z
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www.jsonline.com
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2022 Christkindlmarket won't come to Milwaukee, organizers say
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/09/03/2022-christkindlmarket-wont-come-milwaukee-organizers-say/7959192001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/09/03/2022-christkindlmarket-wont-come-milwaukee-organizers-say/7959192001/
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'Love all things weird': Shrekfest came to Milwaukee for the first time, and enthusiasts flocked
Hundreds of people gathered at Humboldt Park in Bay View on Saturday to celebrate their favorite ogre and the movie carrying his name — Shrek.
Shrekfest started out as a joke and has grown into an event attended by people from around the world.
For the first time the festival was held in Milwaukee. From 2014 to 2019 the festival was in Madison and the last two have been virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"A lot of people have been shut down since the whole coronavirus thing happened. ... But I think we're healing," said a 25-year-old man dressed as Jesus Christ with ogre ears, who only wanted to be referred to as "Shrek Jesus."
Like many in attendance, it is the movie's message that Shrek Jesus wants to spread far and wide.
"At first Shrek is a kind of standoff individual. He's mean, lives in a stinky, slimy swamp. But he learns to open up and becomes a loving, kind ogre," Shrek Jesus said.
"I just love like his character arc of self growth and acceptance. I think that's what brings a lot of people together," said Vincent Kapitanski, 18, who attended the event for the first time this year.
"I love all things weird. I think it's a place for people to express themselves and it's just an accepting festival. ... I'm super glad they moved to Milwaukee this year and came back after COVID, it's been awesome, such a cool opportunity," Kapitanski said.
The original 'Shrek' movie was released in 2001, but there have been a number of sequels. For 8-year-old Graham Williams it's all about "Shrek 2."
Williams loves to see Shrek roar, he said.
Taylor Sihakom, 18, said he came to Shrekfest with his mom to have a "shreking good time." Sihakom was one of many people wearing Shrek memorabilia and costumes.
Shrek Jesus and Sihakom participated in the roar contest, which is one of many events held at Shrekfest. Participants have to roar as loud as they can as the crowd reacts to their roars. One of the participants said he traveled from France to attend the festival.
Shrekfest's co-founder and director Grant Duffrin, along with comedy pals Eric Nitschke and Kevin Gonring organize the annual event. The three men held an opening ceremony, where they welcomed crowd favorite characters to the stage, including Pikachu, a Minion and Santa Claus.
The star of the show was of course Shrek himself, who snuck up on the crowd from behind, and was immediately bull rushed by droves of young children and some adults.
In between speaking portions, the crowd was treated to a soundtrack of popular music and sometimes live performances from Sauce Hound, The Unitaskers and Star67.
The festival was located near the Band Shell in the park. Crowds gathered on the hill, while vendors lined the pathway.
Abby F., 23, said she traveled from Detroit with her dad to display her art at the festival.
"One thing that I was kind of notorious for when I was working at Cedar Point (amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio), as a caricature artist, was that I would tell people Shrek facts. So when I heard about the opportunity to come here to Shrekfest and sell stuff, I was like 'perfect,'" she said.
An onion-eating contest was also planned. It is said that an ogre's favorite food is onions. To conclude the day's festivities, there was a live screening of "Shrek."
Contact Drake Bentley at 414-391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.
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2022-09-04T03:25:50Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Shrekfest held in Humboldt Park in Milwaukee was attended hundreds
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/03/shrekfest-held-humboldt-park-milwaukee-attended-hundreds/7990191001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/03/shrekfest-held-humboldt-park-milwaukee-attended-hundreds/7990191001/
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Creative Arts Emmys: 'When Claude Got Shot' gets documentary award, Milwaukee native Noah Mitz wins first in 23 nominations
Milwaukee was well represented on the first night of the Creative Arts Emmys Saturday.
The Creative Arts Emmys, which include the specialty categories including behind-the-scenes work on the best in television, are given out the weekend before the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony. The first batch, 45 awards in all, were doled out Saturday night. Forty-eight more will be given out Sunday night.
Among Saturday night's winners:
"When Claude Got Shot," the documentary about Milwaukee native Claude Motley and his journey to justice and reconciliation after he was shot while visiting home for a high school reunion, won the award for exceptional merit in documentary filmmaking. Among those collecting trophies Saturday night was producer-director Brad Lichtenstein, the Milwaukee-based filmmaker who made the project with his Motley, a close friend.
RELATED:'This is not just my story': Milwaukee shooting survivor Claude Motley speaks on his recovery and documentary coming to PBS
Milwaukee native Noah Mitz won his first Primetime Emmy Saturday night — his first win in 23 nominations.
Mitz, a lighting designer who went to Nicolet High School, shared the Emmy for best lighting design/lighting direction for a variety special for "Adele: One Night Only." It was one of three nominations for Mitz in the category; he also was nominated for "The 64th Annual Grammy Awards" and "The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!"
Mitz had five overall nominations at this year's Emmys. He also was nominated twice for outstanding lighting design/lighting direction for a variety series for "America's Got Talent" and "American Song Contest"; the award in that category went to "The Voice."
Mitz's shared win for "Adele: One Night Only" was one of five Emmys won by the CBS music special. It tied for most wins Saturday night with "The Beatles: Get Back," the three-part Disney+ documentary by Peter Jackson.
RELATED:Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub are among 2022 Emmy nominees with Wisconsin connections
The night's other notable winners included the late Chadwick Boseman, who won the Emmy for best character voice-over for the animated Marvel series "What If … ?"; and Barack Obama, who became the first president to win a competitive Emmy when he received the award for best narrator for his Netflix series, "Our Great National Parks."
After the second round of Creative Arts Emmys Sunday night, the Primetime Emmy Awards, covering the major TV categories, will be presented Sept. 12 in a ceremony carried live on NBC.
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2022-09-04T14:22:08Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee native Noah Mitz, 'When Claude Got Shot' win Emmys
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/television-radio/2022/09/04/milwaukee-native-noah-mitz-wins-creative-arts-emmys-when-claude-got-shot-documentary/7986410001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/television-radio/2022/09/04/milwaukee-native-noah-mitz-wins-creative-arts-emmys-when-claude-got-shot-documentary/7986410001/
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For anyone foolish enough to proclaim that rock is dead, I have one question. Have you ever been to an Idles concert?
I saw the British post-punk titans at their debut Milwaukee performance at the Riverside Theater Saturday night. After a decade of covering live music full time for the Journal Sentinel, rarely has a rock show made me feel so alive.
Idles is the rare band in which each member performs with the gravity and intensity of a rock god, performing with every muscle in their bodies from the night's first note to the last, each player demanding and deserving your complete attention. Taking them all in at once was overwhelming, and awesome.
That even applies to the substitute. Guitarist and keyboardist Mark Bowen has been sitting out the band's recent shows (there's been no clear indication why). Tina Maynard of the band Masca blended in seamlessly, living up to the band's extreme intensity and ceaseless ambition, throwing out jagged, thrill-ride riffs and shredding her guitar with such tight velocity on "War" that her hand literally became a blinding blur.
The rest of the band was so impressed they basically made her the show's MVP, provoking "Tina" chants from the crowd throughout the second half of the show, and even doing an improvised song in her honor. She deserves to be a full-time member, even after Bowen comes back.
Maynard's fellow guitarist Lee Kiernan was a live wire in his own right, frequently dancing and strutting around the stage and swinging his guitar around like he was wrestling with an anaconda. He also wasted no time getting wild, jumping into the pit for some crowd surfing, guitar in hand, for the night's first song, "Colossus" — with a roadie calmly feeding him the cord as he descended deeper into the crowd.
Adam Devonshire juxtaposed slinky hip shapes and taut grooves with rattling bass blasts for "Car Crash" that hit like a wrecking ball. And Devonshire's screams during "Divide and Conquer" were so deafening it was like he was trying to force his vocal cords to burst out of his body.
Drummer Jon Beavis played with such aggression that his body was practically on the verge of collapse after the show's final number, "Rottweiler." Yet even for that song, after an undoubtedly exhausting hour and 40 minutes, Beavis pushed himself to the breaking point, extending the climax with not one, not five, but 13 walloping, finale-worthy slams. Then, after catching his breath, he ripped a pair of drum sticks in half.
But his peak moment was the show's halfway point. During "Never Fight a Man With a Perm," Beavis somehow kept the beat alive while sipping a coffee or tea, drinking from a water bottle, wiping himself with a towel, and spinning a drum stick in his right hand, before pushing the song to breathless, breakneck speed. He barely paused for a second after the song ended, revving up the beats to kick off subsequent song "Crawl!"
And if all of that wasn't impressive enough, Beavis managed to catch a drum stick that flew at him from a roadie from across the stage — not once, but twice, including when he was playing "Danny Nedelko."
Like I said, rock god.
Fronting it all was barking vocalist Joe Talbot, who frequently stomped around the stage in a circle, pounded his chest, and stared up at the ceiling as he screamed through "Grounds" like he was trying to bully God to come on down for a fistfight.
But this wasn't empty showmanship. The beauty of Idles' catalog, and Talbot's role, is its higher purpose. "Danny Nedelko" was a tribute to immigrants, "Rottweiler" a condemnation of fascism, "Television" a heart-pounding salute to self-love.
During "Grounds," Talbot triumphantly yelled about "strength in numbers," raising his "pink fist" and proclaiming "Black is beautiful." On "The Wheel," from last year's "Crawler," Talbot talked about being an alcoholic, and how his mother died an alcoholic, the song serving as powerful, personal commentary about the generational cycle of addiction.
And he talked about her working to the point of exhaustion — up to 17 hours a day, seven days a week — on "Mother," calling out the cruel system that creates such horrendous circumstances, and calling for greater education and compassion to reduce sexual violence and gender inequity.
Messages like these clearly resonated with the crowd, but Idles still found a way for a deeper connection. During "I'm Scum," Talbot instructed his bandmates, one by one, to get off the stage and into the pit, keeping the song going himself on guitar, with a couple of roadies picking up instruments. Beavis emerged back on stage first, crawling and clicking his drum sticks. And as the other Idles members returned to the stage, Talbot had his bandmates, and the crowd, get low to the ground. Talbot himself was lying down on the stage, and yet the restraint made "I'm Scum" even more volatile, building up to a literally leaping finish, for band and fan alike, that, in line with the song's message, symbolized perseverance over tyranny.
Moments like that illustrated that Idles isn't merely keeping rock alive. They're making it revolutionary again.
Injury Reserve opened Saturday in the wake of tragedy — the death of co-founder Stepa J. Groggs in 2020 at the age of 32. But the half-hour set by remaining members Ritchie with a T and Parker Corey received a hearty welcome, further reassurance that their experimental hip-hop act should continue.
Early in Idles' set, Talbot became obsessed with a spotlight that shined down on him from the balcony, repeatedly calling for the "interrogation light" to shut off, before eventually the lighting director complied.
In addition to the "Tina" chants and improvised songs, Talbot, Kiernan and Devonshire did a funny little cowboy dance in her honor, moving in a circle while tossing an invisible lasso above their heads to Beavis' drum beats.
Beavis impressively caught those drum sticks repeatedly, but a roadie struggled to catch any sticks Beavis tossed his way during "Danny Nedelko." The roadie got his revenge by tossing a half dozen sticks at Beavis at once, which he struggled to grab.
At one point, Talbot said that one of the roadies with the band was a member of Arctic Monkeys, but alas I struggled to hear his name and couldn't get a good look from the balcony if it was actually a member of that band, or if Talbot was joking around.
Talbot admitted to being disappointed to see that they were booked in a seated venue in Milwaukee, but said that the energy from the crowd was "magical."
Talbot also signaled out a fan in the front, saying he possessed some of the most beautiful energy he's seen in a long time, right after singing a few lines of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" a cappella. "That doesn't mean we can have a conversation," Talbot joked, then declining the fan's hat as a gift, saying the love he feels playing shows is enough.
1. "Colossus"
2. "Car Crash"
3. "Mr. Motivator"
4. "Grounds"
5. "Mother"
6. "Divide And Conquer"
7. "The Beachland Ballroom"
8. "Never Fight a Man With a Perm"
9. "Crawl!"
10. "1049 Gotho"
11. "The Wheel"
12. "Television"
13. "A Hymn"
14. "War"
15. "Wizz"
16. "I'm Scum"
17. "Danny Nedelko"
18. Improvised song for Tina Maynard
19. "Rottweiler"
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2022-09-04T16:19:54Z
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www.jsonline.com
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British band Idles makes Milwaukee debut at Riverside Theater concert
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/09/04/idles-makes-rock-feel-revolutionary-again-milwaukee-debut-concert/7952924001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/09/04/idles-makes-rock-feel-revolutionary-again-milwaukee-debut-concert/7952924001/
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WISCONSIN DELLS – Every once in a while, Johnny Sauter catches himself.
When he was starting out in racing, his father told him over and over and over, if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way.
Jim Sauter’s words still echo in Johnny’s head as clearly as they did the first time he heard them some three decades ago.
They help explain how Johnny got started in his father’s sport. They help explain how he built a 20-year career in NASCAR and became a truck series champion. They help explain his passion.
Now, at 45, Johnny is the racing dad and he’d love to believe his father’s guiding principles would serve his son in the same manner. But they won’t, not completely anyway. Nothing else is the same.
Johnny was almost 18 when he first turned a lap in competition. Penn is 12, in his second year and a bit of a latecomer.
Johnny was the 10th of his father’s 12 children. Penn is the first of four.
And race cars aren’t built from scratch in the family garage, the way they were, at least not competitive ones.
As the ARCA Midwest Tour teams and drivers gathered Saturday at Dells Raceway Park to celebrate Johnny’s father with the Jim Sauter Classic, Johnny was talking about the differences between generations.
“The biggest thing is my dad was trying to provide for 13, so I don’t remember him being around a lot. Obviously he was working,” he said. “Having said that, I think the biggest thing that stands out to me is there really was not options for kids to race back then. Some go-kart stuff … but as far as Bandoleros and stuff, it just didn’t exist.
“For me, I’m sitting here thinking of myself as a 17- or 18-year-old and I’ve got to remember he’s only 12. To expect him to do this or do that, wait a minute, when I was 12 I was lucky I could tie my shoes.”
Johnny laughed. He was exaggerating, of course, but the point was clear. Nothing stays the same.
As much as Johnny still loves to race super late model specials such as this one – he finished fourth in a 200-lapper won by Gabe Sommers – and enjoys his partial schedule on the Camping World Truck Series, he also cherishes the opportunity to spend time at his kids’ activities, the sort of thing Jim often missed.
Foremost among them is at the racetrack with Penn.
“It’s something I enjoy, I like to go to the short track stuff, if I’m there with my kid, I enjoy the heck out of it,” said Sauter, who lives in DeForest. “And I’m in a little bit different situation to be able to do that. I’m a pretty lucky fella.”
Ordinarily Penn would have come with Johnny to the Dells – the way Johnny did with brothers Tim and Jay when he was young – but instead went to lunch to celebrate a sister’s birthday. He would arrive later with his mother, Cortney, and sisters. Johnny has rarely missed any of Penn’s races, since he started last season, although he wasn’t at the track when Penn scored the first of his three victories.
It’s such a turn from the relationship Johnny had with his father in the sport.
“I know exactly what you’re saying because my dad would hardly ever come with me here when I first started,” Johnny said. “Maybe once. You want it bad enough, you’ll find a way; that’s what he always used to say.
“But in today’s world, with technology, a kid would never be able to do it. I say it all the time, one thing that hurts racing in my opinion, let’s say a kid’s got some money but he doesn’t have a lot, if you want to build a late model car, where do you start? Technology? You’ve got a huge mountain to climb. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but you’ve got to be there to get them pointed in the right direction.”
Still, there’s a huge difference, though, between pointing and doing.
Bandoleros are simpler than full-sized cars, but Penn is learning what various adjustments accomplish. And they still require lots of service and maintenance.
Johnny has been thinking of taking a step for next season and building a truck for Penn to race in the Midwest Truck Series. It’d be a big step into a series that often runs as a companion to the Midwest Tour and other special events.
“I feel like I’ll take Penn as far as he wants to go, but I expect him to work on the stuff,” Johnny said. “Can I get him to NASCAR? Probably not. Financially, no way. He’s got talent and we talk to the right people, you just never know.
“As long as I see work ethic there, I’ll move mountains for the kid. As many as I can. But he’s not going to be the kid that shows up with (nothing but) a helmet bag. Not going to happen.”
Cortney didn’t know Johnny when he started racing but learned about his at-track personality as she worked as a public relations representative in NASCAR as well as in their time together. She also came to understand more about the Sauter family dynamic from conversations with Jim before he died in 2014.
The similarities between Jim and Johnny are obvious to her as she watches the interaction between Johnny and Penn. Hard work is demanded, success is expected and compliments are not easily earned.
“He has a little bit of his dad in him, a little bit of the fire,” Cortney said of Penn. “I guess he would never be complacent. … Especially at the beginning of the season, Penn had a lot of top-three finishes but couldn’t quite get there. He’d come home and I’d be like, ‘that was a good race, buddy,’ and he’d be like, ‘no, it wasn’t. It really wasn’t.’ I think there is a really high expectation.
“I don’t know that Penn will be as one-track mind as (Johnny) is, but I suppose in Johnny’s mind, that’s what it took to be successful.”
Jim said to many people that racing came naturally to Johnny as if it were instinctive. Now Johnny says the same of Penn.
“I wouldn’t have a clue what my dad saw in me, because I wrecked a lot,” Johnny said. “I was very aggressive. … But as far as a dad’s concerned, everybody’s kid is the greatest. That’s their mentality.
“I feel like I’m a realist. There’s things (Penn) does that you don’t teach. That’s instinct. Are there mistakes? Absolutely. But how do you judge a kid at 12? This is my first go-round as a parent with a kid that age too. I think he does a good job.
“As long as we’re having fun and he enjoys it, that’s what it’s all about. I think he can do it. I see a lot of kids that can do it. It’s just if they get the right opportunities and stick with it.”
More:Racing Harleys on the infield road course at the Milwaukee Mile? Of course. Why wouldn't you?
More:From uncommon backgrounds, teammates Rajah Caruth and Nick Sanchez are making their way in racing. Next stop: Milwaukee.
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2022-09-04T16:20:06Z
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NASCAR driver Johnny Sauter helps son Penn start racing
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/motor/2022/09/04/nascar-driver-johnny-sauter-helps-son-penn-start-racing/7964647001/
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Ricardo Torres Kelli Arseneau
Herbert Kohler Jr., 83, longtime leader of Kohler Company, died Saturday, according to a press release from the company.
Kohler graduated from Yale University in 1965, after spending time at a couple other colleges. He started at Yale but left after a year and went to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he studied theater and met Linda Karger, whom he married in 1961. Kohler then enrolled at Furman University in South Carolina and worked on the side, before returning to Yale to get a degree in business administration.
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2022-09-04T21:54:46Z
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Herb Kohler, 83, executive chairman of Kohler Co. died Saturday
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Investigative reporter Jeff German, a Marquette grad and former Journal intern, killed outside his Las Vagas home
German was a grad student at Marquette University and interned at the Milwaukee Journal in the late 1970s.
Jim Romenesko was a police reporter for the Milwaukee Journal in the late 1970s when German was an intern at the newspaper.
“He was interested in the police beat and he had an interest in crime, that’s where we bonded,” Romenesko told the Journal Sentinel. “He was a very passionate and intense reporter. You can tell he was a guy who wanted to make his mark on the profession.”
German used to wear a “gold chain,” Romenesko remembered.
“People laughed because it was very un-Milwaukee,” Romenesko said. “It was more of a Las Vegas chain than a Milwaukee chain. He had designer jeans. He was a sharp looking guy who looked like he wanted to fit into Las Vegas more than Milwaukee.”
Romenesko remembers one night when a boat capsized on Lake Michigan and although they were off the clock, German convinced Romenesko to go to the scene.
“We went out there and I was ready to leave at midnight and he wanted to stay until 2 a.m., and I think we left at 3 a.m.,” Romenesko said. “He was just that passionate and that interested. I knew he would go places.”
Romenesko recalls the then-young intern having an interest in organized crime.
“He was fresh out of Marquette but he had ambitions to go to Las Vegas,” Romenesko said. “He left, I believe, right after the Journal internship to go out to Las Vegas.”
Shortly after German left Milwaukee, Romenesko took a trip out to Los Angeles and stopped in Las Vegas to have dinner with him.
“He was pretty fresh at the Las Vegas paper but he was so excited about working out there and talked about what an exciting news town it was, and he was brimming with excitement about covering news in Las Vegas,” Romenesko said. “He got to where he wanted to be... and he never left.”
Romenesko followed German’s byline over the years and called his death “a tragic ending.”
“It looked like he was able to do what he loved to do for many decades, and I’m happy to see that,” Romenesko said. “He stuck with the (journalism) business and judging by the comments I’m reading on Twitter from his current colleagues, he had not lost any of that ambition and intensity and love for the news.”
According to the Review-Journal, German was the author of the 2001 true-crime book “Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss,” the story of the death of Ted Binion, heir to the Horseshoe Club fortune.
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2022-09-04T23:36:48Z
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Reporter, Marquette graduate Jeff German killed outside Las Vegas home
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President Joe Biden will visit Milwaukee today to celebrate Labor Day, just two months before the high-profile midterm elections in the battleground state.
Biden plans to speak around noon at Henry Maier Festival Park about "the dignity of American workers," according to the White House.
Gov. Tony Evers is expected to appear at Biden's event. It is not clear whether Lt. Gov. and Democratic Senate hopeful Mandela Barnes will be on stage. Barnes is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.
Evers, who is in a tight race with Republican challenger Tim Michels, has pledged to support Biden if he launches a reelection campaign for a second term.
The president's visit to Milwaukee comes as support from Wisconsinites is low. A mid-August Marquette University Law School poll found 40% of those surveyed approved and 55% disapprove of the job he is doing.
"He’s the president of the United States, we have a good relationship, and so I'm looking forward to it," Evers said during a campaign stop last week. "As far as the value of campaigning with the president or not, I'll let the people in Wisconsin figure that out."
Today is the first time since 2014 a sitting president has attended Milwaukee's Laborfest.
Barack Obama made three appearances at Laborfest, as a presidential candidate in 2008 and then as president in 2010 and 2014. President Bill Clinton spoke at Laborfest in 1996 as he kicked off his fall re-election campaign.
The annual festival hadn't been held since 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and logistical issues in 2021.
More:5 things to do in Milwaukee during Labor Day weekend, including Harley-Davidson's Hometown Rally and Shrekfest
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2022-09-05T15:13:28Z
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Joe Biden to speak at Milwaukee Laborfest today as midterms heat up
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During the early decades of the 20th-century, buildings were built with hot rivets tossed from the flame to the workers putting them in place in teams of five.
“That’s just something that’s historic, that you don’t see anymore,” said Brad Cyganek, president of Ironworkers Local 8. “This would have been the sound you would have heard in the '30s and '40s.”
On Monday, a five-team group of workers from Ironworkers Local 8 demonstrated the “old school” way of building in America.
Hundreds of union members and workers gathered at Zeidler Union Square Park in the morning to support each other’s causes and gather in solidarity as workers.
Cyganek said the popularity of unions is increasing and it’s important to show young adults and children there are other options if they want to pursue “something with a belt and boots as opposed to a computer in a cubicle.”
“Right now there’s not enough people in the trades, we need more people,” Cyganek said. “It’s important that people are treated well and treated with respect.”
Cyganek said President Joe Biden speaking at Laborfest could be a morale booster for workers.
“He’s a pro-union president and I think when he actually takes time out of his busy schedule to come see us, it speaks volumes,” Cyganek said.
Daniel Kaczynski is a cleaner in the Milwaukee County Courthouse and Medical Examiner's Office, and also a member of SEIU Local 1. He said it’s important for Biden to come to Milwaukee because “he needs to know who we are. He needs to know the problems we’re facing so he can tackle those problems.”
More:President Biden celebrates union gains during speech at Milwaukee's Laborfest, continues broadside against 'MAGA Republicans'
More:5 takeaways from President Joe Biden's speech at Milwaukee Laborfest celebration
“We have a world where they’re trying to tell us that minimum wage is $7.25,” Kaczynski said. “We haven’t seen that go up in like 10 years… we need high wages because you end up having people who can’t pay bills even though they’re working a full-time job.”
Kaczynski said it's good for the other unions to get together and support each other.
More:'We have the opportunity to transform the nature of work': MASH president Rickman on the current, future state of labor
“One union isn’t going to do it alone,” Kaczynski said. “We need to get all the unions together because when they march, we march with them. When they go on strike, we need to be backing them up.”
Workers in coffee shops, theaters and hospitals have been organizing, something Kaczynski said is a sign of workers understanding their strength.
“People are realizing the boss isn’t just going to give them money because they’re a good worker,” Kaczynski said. “They’re realizing you've got to push for it. You've got to demand it. You can’t expect the boss to pay you more just because you’re working hard for him. No. The boss wants to keep the money if he can.”
More:Gallup poll finds Americans' approval for labor unions rising under Biden administration
More:UW Health nurses seeking union recognition deliver official notice of strike Sept. 13-16
We Energies electrical lineman John Hagen from Waterford is part of IBEW Local 2150 union.
“We’re the storm chasers, we’re the ones that put the lights back on,” Hagen said, wearing a shirt that read: “Skilled labor isn’t cheap. Cheap labor isn’t skilled.”
“Being here with the other folks that are doing a lot of the same things is so meaningful to me only because, again, if it's not for the infrastructure what good is this country?”
Hagen said he’s been a member of the union for 35 years and “they’ve done me straight.”
“I don’t need a union but they take care of bidding for me to ensure that I have... fair pay,” Hagen said adding the union also gives him equal rights and safety. “They bring that to the workplace. They bargain that for me.”
Hagen said the union provides a lot of “job-specific training” for workers at We Energies.
“We put a lot of training in,” Hagen said. “That’s something the union does for us. They make sure we receive the proper training from We Energies.”
The IBEW Local 2150 had some bucket trucks on the grounds to put people, mostly children, in the bucket to give them “a view of what we’re looking at” when they see someone on the job.
M.C. Floreani is a staff organizer with Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board Workers United, which has been helping employees at Starbucks and other places organize.
Floreani said Starbucks workers in Oak Creek and Madison held a “sip-in” so they can talk to customers about the contract negotiations.
“They’ve been engaging in lots of shop floor actions to call attention to the contract,” Floreani said. “They marched on their boss a few weeks ago.”
Floreani said the campaign called “No contract. No coffee” is meant to let the communities know the workers are in a contract fight.
“The company continues to not bargain in good faith, not come to the bargaining table either store-by-store or at the national level,” Floreani said. “We are in the fight of our lives right now just to get them to the table and start taking our proposals seriously.”
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2022-09-05T20:30:10Z
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Workers gather at Milwaukee Laborfest to celebrate, hear Joe Biden
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Needing extra rest between starts, Brewers starter Freddy Peralta is pushed back to Thursday vs. San Francisco
DENVER -- Coors Field will always hold a special place in Freddy Peralta's heart.
Who could ever forget his major-league debut here back on Mother's Day in 2018, when he limited the Colorado Rockies to one hit while striking out 13 with his family in the stands cheering him on?
Certainly not Peralta, who was lined up to start there for the third time in his career for the Milwaukee Brewers' Labor Day matinee on Monday.
But a change in plans left Adrian Houser to take Peralta's spot in the rotation and Peralta lined up to start Thursday in the Brewers' doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field.
"The plan right now is to be feeling good for Thursday when we go back," he said. "I wish I could be on the mound today.
"But, it is what it is."
At issue has been Peralta's stamina and recovery.
After throwing as many as 95 pitches over six innings four starts into his return from the injured list, Peralta has seen those numbers drop to 82 and six and then 74 and five in his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 31.
"Obviously, he's pitching very well," said manager Craig Counsell of Peralta, who's gone 1-1 with a 2.43 earned run average in six starts since recovering from the shoulder issue that forced him onto the IL for more than two months.
"He's exited games like around the 80-pitch mark a couple times, and that's because he's fatiguing. He's feeling good for most of his starts. Between starts, we think we should get him to the point where that fifth day, going into the day he pitches, he should feel ready to go.
"And yesterday after after playing catch, we just didn't feel like he'd crossed that threshold."
Added Peralta: "I’ve been recovering sometimes good between the games. But the last two games it’s been a little harder for me – I just get more tired, sooner. Other than that I’ve been feeling normal."
Peralta's time in Denver will be spent doing his normal between-starts throwing, receiving treatment and recovering.
"The goal is to get it back to regular five days," Counsell said. "We did look at if he didn't pitch today and kind of the schedule moving forward, we have the ability to give him some extra rest in his next couple of starts, in hopes that that would put this behind us.
"So, that was a thought into this for sure. We have two off-days next week. So, everybody's going to get an extra day at least, at least one extra day. Where we slot him back in, we can we can do that for Friday as well."
Peralta was a first-time all-star in 2021, when he went 10-5 with a 2.81 ERA and WHIP of 0.97 in 28 appearances (27 starts). He also struck out 195 in 144 ⅓ innings.
This year, Peralta is 4-3 with a 3.56 ERA and WHIP of 1.02 in 14 starts. His strikeout total is down to 73 over 68 1/3 innings and even more so since returning from the IL (23 in 29 ⅔ innings).
"I’m going to be fine. I know it’s not a big deal," Peralta said of easing off a bit. "These two days are going to make me feel way better and it’s going to make me feel good to finish strong."
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2022-09-05T22:49:49Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta has his start pushed back
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/05/milwaukee-brewers-pitcher-freddy-peralta-has-his-start-pushed-back/7997231001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/05/milwaukee-brewers-pitcher-freddy-peralta-has-his-start-pushed-back/7997231001/
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White House of Music returns to Brookfield for the first time in over 50 years with new location
White House of Music has announced the opening of a fourth retail location at 14685 West Capitol Drive.
The new space replaces a recently closed location in Wauwatosa and will feature 18 teaching studios and a larger retail showroom.
Similar to the rest of its storefronts, the new location will offer music lessons, an array of instrument selections, print music and accessories. The business’ new location will also enjoy a more modern space, which is intentionally larger to meet growing demands.
“People would ask if they could get a specific item, and we kept telling them it was at the Waukesha store, so we figured why not open up a bigger store here so we don’t have to do that,” said company President and CEO Chris White.
Originally established in Waukesha in 1953, White House of Music will be returning to Brookfield for the first time since the early 70s — something the company is excited for.
“We’re excited to continue expanding our reach as a community music store. With our new location and ongoing commitment to offering e-commerce options, we’re bringing more music into the heart of our community,” said White.
The decision to open the new store during the beginning of the school year has seen the new location flooded with students from the Brookfield area, an outcome White and his company were hoping for. The company has previously worked with local school districts to promote the music shop to aspiring musicians.
“This time of year you can just feel the excitement from the staff and the students,” said White. “Everyone is just happy to get back into their school bands or continue to learn an instrument outside of school, and we are happy to help them with that.”
White House of Music also has locations in Watertown, West Bend and Waukesha.
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2022-09-06T12:54:35Z
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www.jsonline.com
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White House of Music returns to Brookfield with new location
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/2022/09/06/white-house-music-returns-brookfield-new-location/7974315001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/news/2022/09/06/white-house-music-returns-brookfield-new-location/7974315001/
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Turning Tables Tavern at Turner Hall creates opportunity for chefs and brings a diverse dining team downtown
Emerald Mills is creating opportunity for restaurateurs, specifically chefs of color, unlike anything else currently in Milwaukee.
At Turning Tables Tavern, which opened in August at 1040 N. Phillips Ave. under Turner Hall Ballroom, Mills has created a space for up-and-coming chefs to collaborate on an expansive, ever-changing menu.
The concept at Turning Tables is to give chefs who don’t have service industry experience a chance to see if their dishes translate to a restaurant setting.
“It is focused on people who want to learn,” Mills said. “There is such a gap. The amount of people who need support is so large right now as food-based entrepreneurs and chefs in the hospitality industry.”
Mills largely focuses on supporting future Black restaurant owners.
Only 2% of Wisconsin restaurants are Black owned, which was one of the lowest rates in the 36 states with data available. and far below the national average of 9% of Black restaurant ownership, according to the National Restaurant Association.
And various studies show that one in three restaurants close in their first year.
“The chances for a Black-owned business to succeed in the restaurant industry is slim to none,” Mills said. "And so this concept Turning Tables, which provides mentorship and hands on training for food-based entrepreneurs, is designed to mitigate a lot of risk before they start."
A main component is a six-to-18 month program for aspiring chefs to learn how to work in the Turning Tables kitchen. Students will graduate at their own pace, giving each participant the ability to learn while pursuing other endeavors or accelerate the program if desired.
They chefs-in-training throughout their course will learn different cooking methods, how to prepare a profitable menu, and other important factors of running a restaurant.
Sometimes those who are accepted into the program will have pop-up nights at the tavern with the help of Turning Tables staff, like the ongoing Winging it Wednesdays, where student Quajuana Dunomes-Williams, who goes by Chef Fatima, takes over the menu to sell her wing recipes at the restaurant.
Mills also twice a year will run a competition, "Who wants to be a restaurateur?" which gives chefs a brunch or dinner shift where they run the restaurant completely on their own.
"I think that when you're a food-based entrepreneur and you make great cookies out your kitchen when you want to and people buy them, you can have an unrealistic view of all it takes and all it entails, so that experience gave people the opportunity to really see what it's like," Mills said.
'I never knew this was out here'
Before Turning Tables was fully open to the public, it selected the first class of chefs to begin the free program.
One accepted applicant was Chef TeQuanda Rodgers, who makes Southern fare and comfort food through her business Charlee Boi’z, named after her first son.
"The first time I picked up a pot, I was 7 years old and, you know, I was the oldest of six and we kind of grew up in unforeseen circumstances, so it makes you more responsible and it kicked me into cooking," Rodgers said.
Rodgers found Turning Tables through her friend Jervel Williams, who is Mills' husband and who runs Mister Bar-B-Que.
More:Mister Bar-B-Que mixes Southern roots with Milwaukee tastes
"I've been out here selling my food and different things. When they came up with the whole thing, I saw a post on Facebook and I'm like I'm going to step out on a whim here and went ahead to the orientation," Rodgers said. "It was just like wow, I never knew this was out there. They are some great people."
In some ways, cooking with Turning Tables has been lifesaving for Rodgers. In 2021 her son Charlee battled kidney disease and died from kidney failure last September.
Prior to his death, she would vend her food at spaces and events to try to make money for his bills, but she said vendor fees kept her from making enough profit. When her son died, she lost interest in cooking altogether.
"I went through a depressive state. I was down really bad, and my husband picked up me up and said this isn’t you," Rodgers said. "That moment I realized I had to get up and do something. I tried reaching back out to vending spaces, and it's like they made things so hard that it was unreachable for me."
That's when she found Turning Tables and started working there, but tragedy struck her family again. Early this summer her 17-year-old son was diagnosed with Stage 4 lymphoma.
"The thing that stopped me from wallowing back and going back into that depressive space was the opportunity that Emerald and Jervel gave me," Rodgers said. "My goals are still obtainable even though I'm going through a lot right now."
Rodgers can keep a clear eye on her goal without financial burdens, and has already benefited from things like having a Milwaukee Area Technical College chef come by for a class.
"If it was something we didn’t know, he showed us the proper way. It was such a top-notch experience," Rodgers said.
She is working toward getting a few dishes on the menu at Turning Tables. her current goal is to perfect her peach cobbler recipe for the restaurant's menu.
"I have a couple recipes that are top-notch, and they deserve to be on somebody's shelf," Rodgers said. "And they are in a position where I could make long-term income and help my family while my son is battling this cancer. I really appreciate that because I've never had anybody who cared enough to help me feed my family."
'We should do something more'
Mills got the idea for Turning Tables while running what she called Diverse Dining. Before COVID-19 hit, she would arrange for groups of people to visit different restaurants owned by minority chefs.
“That started basically out of the need I saw in the city with kind of merging Black, brown and white people together; there are so many systemic and relational reasons why the systemic things were happening. Because the neighborhoods and communities are segregated, people didn’t know how to relate to each other,” Mills said.
“I started to look and see what ways and what places I saw people of different races being together and it seemed like it was restaurants, and that’s where I see people cross geographical barriers to get good food if they wanted to.”
Then she changed her focus to work with chefs who haven't had the opportunity to run their own restaurant yet.
“It erupted a passion in me and Jervel that we should do something more, that we should do something, get a kitchen and incorporate this work into whatever were doing," Mills said.
She heard through a local chef that the Tavern at Turner Hall was going out of business. She put in a request proposal to run a restaurant for new chefs there, and won. Now Turning Tables leases the space.
"It's a great location for us, plus we're providing diverse and delicious food downtown, and provide community, so by the time our student chefs launch they'll already have customers, support and people who are following their journey, and the people downtown can get a sense of that culture," Mills said.
Not only did the city see the potential of Mills' idea, but so did Milwaukee Bucks star Jrue Holiday. His foundation is granting Turning Tables a $10,000 donation.
"It was very validating for me from the sense that they had 1,300 applications and they picked 20 people. There are a lot of people doing great things," Mills said.
"Getting involved in the hospitality industry is such a grand opportunity," Mills said. "You can tell someone who worked in restaurants, how they treat people. It teaches soft skills, and it is never going away. We're always going to eat, and want to eat good food, and it’s a massive opportunity to help a lot of people financially, but also to get to the objective to help people as a community and ending racism and segregation."
Currently, Williams' food from Mister Bar-B-Que is featured on the menu while the business works toward graduating its first class of chefs and collaborating more with chef hopefuls.
Turning Tables is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with extended hours for events at Turner Hall and Fiserv Forum.
For more information visit the Facebook page at facebook.com/turningtablesmke or call (414) -210-3451.
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2022-09-06T12:54:41Z
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www.jsonline.com
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New Milwaukee restaurant Turning Tables Tavern open at Turner Hall
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Memoir of Madison police chief turned priest, other new books share wisdom of Wisconsin elders
New books by and about Wisconsin elders share wisdom, pugnacity and life experience in distinctly personal combinations.
"David Couper Beyond the Badge: Reflections of an Ex-Cop"
by Rob Zaleski. Little Creek Press.
Marine veteran David Couper spent two stormy decades (1972-'93) as Madison's chief of police, hiring Black and female officers and promoting community policing practices while frequently battling union leadership and the old guard. Then he stunned the community by announcing his departure to become an Episcopal priest. Now in his 80s, he continues to serve at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in North Lake, and to write and speak out on policing and other issues.
He's an unusual man; Zaleski, a longtime columnist and reporter at The Capital Times in Madison, has written an unusual book about him. It's a kind of spiritual memoir structured in Q&A format; sometimes, the conversation between subject and interviewer turns into true dialogue between the two men. Zaleski, who previously helped Couper edit a book of his own, clearly admires him, though the former chief's mistakes and wrong decisions are frankly discussed.
Here's a sample of their conversation. In a concluding session, Zaleski asked the octogenarian about the biggest surprises he encountered in life. Couper replied: "I think the major surprise — and I know this sounds crazy, but keep in mind that I'm a male who grew up in the 1950s — was the realization that women are equal to men. And not only are they equal, but in many respects they're better than men."
"Beyond Belief: Poems"
by John Koethe. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
It would not be completely fair to assert that former Milwaukee poet laureate John Koethe's new collection is a bunch of poems about an old man thinking. But let the fellow, who's 76, speak for himself, as he does in "The Wonder of Having Lived Here a Long Time":
"I’ve no idea what other people feel / As they get old, but I feel nothing but amazement, not at what I am, / Which is commonplace and ordinary, but that I am and have a life at all."
In "Murray Gell-Mann," reading the Nobel Prize-winning physicist's obituary sends the poet back in time; as a starstruck teenager, Koethe had breakfast with Gell-Mann at a math contest in 1963. "He saw the patterns in the chaos of cascading particles / Floating in from nowhere like the quarks in Finnegans Wake," Koethe writes (yes, Gell-Mann named a class of subatomic particle "quarks" after a nonce word in James Joyce's "Wake.") Instead of becoming a physicist, Koethe went over to the dark side of philosophy and poetry. But like Gell-Mann's ilk, the poet keeps poking away at the nature of reality, trying to get a level deeper: "Some things are hidden from us, not because we don’t know what they are, / But because they’re inconceivable until they happen, like the future."
Koethe will launch his book with an in-person event at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Milwaukee's Boswell Books, 2559 N. Downer Ave. Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit johnkoethemke.eventbrite.com.
RELATED:In 'The Swimmer,' John Koethe navigates riptides of time, memory
"Girl Archaeologist: Sisterhood in a Sexist Profession"
by Alice Beck Kehoe. University of Nebraska Press.
Anthropologist and archaeologist Alice Beck Kehoe was a graduate student and mom at Radcliffe/Harvard the same time that a fellow mom, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was a Harvard law student. Like RBG, Kehoe had to assert her path in a male-dominated profession. Heck, she had to battle her own father just to go to college, finally receiving grudging permission if she paid for it herself.
Her crisply written memoir recounts the career that brought her to Marquette University as an associate professor and then professor of anthropology from 1968-'99. Her research and fieldwork has focused on Native American peoples in the upper plains, including the Ghost Dance religion and the Moose Mountain Medicine Wheel in Saskatchewan.
Kehoe doesn't hesitate to think critically about her field, and the institutions that have employed her. "Patriarchy is still powerful, but laws curb its practices," she writes. "I found a sisterhood of feminists, strong bright women archaeologists, anthropologists, and ethnohistorians. We in my generation walked through many a dark and stony tunnel. We've come into a very different world."
"There Is No Backstage: An Actor's Life"
by Linda Stephens. BookBaby.
Stephens has acted on Broadway, on TV, at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, and on many Milwaukee stages. As a narrator, she's recorded dozens of audiobooks, including the unabridged "Gone With the Wind." How did Stephens, who came into theater as a singer first, know when she really became an actor? "What I say now is that you know you've become an actor when your need to express the work has become more important than your need to express yourself," she writes.
There are brushes with greatness here: a starstruck lunch with William Holden; Stephen Sondheim coaching her on singing three notes in one of his songs; Arthur Miller grabbing her arm and telling her, "Ya did good, kid." Her understudy for one role at the Steppenwolf was Jane Lynch (yes, that Jane Lynch). The title of her book comes from something David Hyde Pierce told Stephens when she performed on an episode of "Frasier." Stephens also writes affectionately about her college sweetheart and first husband, actor and playwright Larry Shue, who wrote "The Nerd" and "The Foreigner."
As Stephens describes her life in theater, which involved multiple moves to different cities, some of which she now regrets, it sounds as much like a calling as it does a craft. As successful as she has been, there were times when only her audiobook work kept her afloat, for which she is grateful. Candid about her own mistakes, she is also blunt and eloquent about what happens to women in theater as they age: "All actresses somewhere between their mid-40s and early 50s are thrown into competition with actresses in their 60s and 70s.That's not an exaggeration. We're lumped into one group —– The Older Actress."
Stephens will talk about her book with Mike Fischer at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Boswell Books. Admission is free but registration is required. Visit lindastephensmke.eventbrite.com/.
MORE:21 recommended books by Wisconsin writers from the 21st century
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2022-09-06T12:54:47Z
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Madison police-chief-turned-priest's memoir, other books share wisdom
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/books/2022/09/06/madison-police-chief-turned-priests-memoir-other-books-share-wisdom-linda-stephens-david-couper/7929191001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/books/2022/09/06/madison-police-chief-turned-priests-memoir-other-books-share-wisdom-linda-stephens-david-couper/7929191001/
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Rosa Parks to 'Reading Rainbow': 4 things to look for at Milwaukee Film's Cultures & Communities Festival
When Milwaukee Film began promoting the return of its Cultures & Communities Festival to in-person screenings and events last year, it was just as the delta variant of COVID-19 was spiking.
"We just could feel it that people weren't ready to come back," said Geraud Blanks, chief innovation officer for Milwaukee Film. "And this year, at least we feel the energy. We'll see what that results in, but at least the energy is so much different."
The 2022 Cultures & Communities Festival, which runs Sept. 14-18, focuses on issues of identity, health, equity and inclusion, with more than 30 films and more than a dozen in-person events around Milwaukee. The movies are showing primarily at the Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave.
Tickets for individual screenings are $10, $8 for seniors 60 and older, $6 for kids 12 and younger, and $7 for Milwaukee Film members. There's also a virtual component, with all titles available as part of a $125 all-access pass.
This year's festival has a number of big gets, starting with its opening- and closing-night movies (see below), and an eclectic mix of documentary and fiction films, including "Kaepernick & America," a documentary exploring the impact of the activism of former NFL star and Milwaukee native Colin Kaepernick; "Liquor Store Dreams," a portrait of a pair of Korean American children trying to bridge the divide with their immigrant parents; and "I Didn't See You There," in which a disabled filmmaker explores how the culture makes people with disabilities invisible.
This year's festival comes at a time when Hollywood seems to be starting to realize the value, and box-office potential, in movies that show people of color with agency and power. "The Woman King," a historical epic starring Viola Davis as a leader of warrior women in 19th-century Africa, opens during the festival's run, on Sept. 16. Not far behind: "Till," the story of the fight for justice following the lynching murder of Emmett Till, in theaters Oct. 21; and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the much-anticipated Marvel sequel, Nov. 11.
“It's an exciting time. 'The Woman King.' I mean, I don't know — 20 years ago, would this movie have gotten made?" Blanks said. " … I'm excited about this festival, but I'm also excited about the context within which this festival exists."
The Cultures & Communities Festival is about more than movies, Blanks pointed out. There are more than a dozen in-person programs scheduled during its five-day run, including a session on food justice with James Beard Award winner and activist Bryant Terry (Sept. 15) and a conversation about the hit series "P-Valley" with one of its stars, J. Alphonse Nicholson (also Sept. 15).
For a full schedule, go to mkefilm.org/ccf.
Here are four things to look for at this year's Cultures & Communities Festival.
1. Opening-night movie: 'The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks'
The documentary about the civil rights activist had its world premiere in June at the Tribeca Film Festival. When Blanks heard about it, he reached out directly to co-director Yoruba Richen, who has had several movies screen under the aegis of Milwaukee Film and had been to the festival.
"I contacted her and said, ‘What do I have to do to get this?’ And she was, like, ‘Done.’”
Cultures & Communities Festival goers will be among the first to see the documentary; it's only been screening at a handful of film festivals before it's streaming on Peacock in October.
"The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks," based on the biography by Milwaukee native Jeanne Theoharis, is showing at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 and 4:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Oriental. (The Sept. 15 screening is free for students with ID.)
2. Closing-night movie: 'Butterfly in the Sky'
He was a star in "Roots" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation," but LeVar Burton has had his biggest impact as the host of "Reading Rainbow," the book-centric kids show he hosted for a quarter-century. "Butterfly in the Sky," a documentary that also had a premiere this year at Tribeca, gives him and the show their due. It's showing at 5 p.m. Sept. 18.
3. Pop-up cinemas
This year, the festival made a concerted effort to line up sponsors for its free pop-up screenings, which play a big role in bringing the festival to the communities it's addressing, Blanks said.
“The idea of the pop-up cinemas is that we can take the experience to you,” he said.
The three pop-up screenings, with events before and after, are at:
Latino Arts, 1028 S. Ninth St., showing the Cantinflas comedy "El Barrendero," starting at 4 p.m. Sept. 15.
COA Youth & Family Centers' Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St., showing "Encanto" at 4 p.m. Sept. 16.
Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, 2100 E. Kenwood Blvd. on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, in collaboration with Sherman Phoenix, showing "Boss: The Black Experience in Business," 6 p.m. Sept. 16.
4. More free screenings
Thanks to outside sponsorships, several movies showing in the festival are screening for free at the Oriental. They include:
"The Exchange: In White America, Kaukauna & King 50 Years Later," Milwaukee broadcasting veteran Joanne Williams' documentary on a student-exchange program between Black and white schools and its legacy, 6 p.m. Sept. 15.
"The Loyola Project," a look at the Chicago college basketball team that broke racial barriers in 1963, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15.
"When Claude Got Shot," the documentary following a Black Milwaukee native's journey through the juvenile justice system after he was shot by a teenager in a carjacking, 12:30 p.m. Sept. 16. It's a victory lap for the movie, which last weekend won an Emmy for exceptional merit in documentary filmmaking.
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2022-09-06T12:54:59Z
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4 things to see at Milwaukee Film's Cultures & Communities Festival
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/09/06/4-things-see-milwaukee-films-cultures-communities-festival/7895487001/
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When Maren Ellingboe King inherited her grandmother’s collection of recipes, it launched her into an exploration of her food roots. What she found was a trove of Midwestern recipes and techniques that were often overlooked.
In fact, her own trajectory was one of leaving these things behind, going from Minnesota and her first restaurant job in Hudson, Wis., to New York and a role at Food & Wine magazine, then to California.
It took her grandmother’s handwritten recipe collection, a pandemic and rising food costs for her to clearly see the region’s relevance through recipes.
The Minnesota native puts all of it on display, presenting what she considers a modern Midwest “canon” in her first cookbook, “Fresh Midwest: Modern Recipes from the Heartland” (Countryman Press) in stores Sept. 20. King shows the breadth of Scandinavian and Norwegian influence on Midwestern kitchens, reaching deep into the upper Midwest regions of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.
Recipes range from almond kringle, wild rice pancakes, cardamom buns, and brown butter zucchini bread to hotdish that skips the canned soup, Norwegian fondue, lefse, rhubarb custard pie and even a lingonberry old-fashioned utilizing Ikea jam. There’s also the throwback staple, Jell-O salad, though here it is prepared with pomegranate for an update. It is a sprinkling of her Scandinavian and Minnesota roots with modern Midwestern influences.
King lives in Minneapolis with her husband and son.
Question: What’s your background? How did you get into the food world and writing a cookbook?
Answer: I grew up in a town outside of St. Paul and went to school in Minneapolis. I first started working in a family-owned bakery in high school. My senior project was working as a line cook in Hudson, Wis. at the San Pedro Cafe. At the end of that project, they offered me a job. That was my first professional job cooking. I went to college on the East Coast, came back every summer and kept that job. When I graduated from college I moved to New York and got a job at Food & Wine magazine …
My husband and I moved to the Bay Area, where he is from, in 2015. There I worked on a number of different projects. … The Bay Area is really wonderful, but we were far from our friends. We decided to move back to Minneapolis. We arrived September 2020. I got a cookbook deal that December, turned it in September 2021. My son was born 10 days later.
Q: This is your first cookbook. How long was this idea in the works?
A: I would say about five years. I had inherited an archive of recipes that were my great-grandmother’s and grandmother’s. There were hundreds of index cards, many handwritten recipes, some clipped from newspapers. I had looked through them and cooked a few things when I got the recipes, but the idea really came about when I attended the IACP culinary conference about five years ago. I went to seminars on writing cookbooks. Wow, this is something I could do. … I ended up getting the deal with Countryman (Press) a few months later.
Q: How did you research and gather recipes for this book?
A: I went through the archive a number of times. I feel like every Midwestern family has this treasure trove of many types of Jell-O salad to the classic hot dish with green beans and hamburger and crispy onions on top, and tons of different cake and cookie recipes and everything in between.
It was drawing on those nostalgic dishes I had as a kid, but didn’t find myself cooking on a daily basis for myself and my husband. Then the inspiration was taking these nostalgic recipes but not using cream of mushroom soup or those other shortcuts. It was having it reflect how I eat now with more fresh produce, more herbs, more acidity and heat. So taking a hotdish recipe but using homemade Bechamel sauce and using roasted squash instead of canned vegetables. It was trying to meld these comforting and hearty Midwestern dishes and bring them into the modern era.
Q: What’s one recipe you want to introduce to people outside the Midwest?
A: Lefse is the first thing that comes to mind. That is such a part of my family’s holiday gatherings. My cousin and aunt are really expert lefse makers. They would always make it for Christmas, Easter and also Thanksgiving…
It is such a unique Scandinavian food. Most people if you’ve never been to Scandinavia or grew up in the Midwest you don’t know what it is, and it takes such practice. It is so delicate. The dough is very different. Working with a potato-based dough is challenging. … It is something that should be made with multiple people, because of all the steps involved. You roll it out, you cook it individually, and you have to have somebody to flip it.
I made it with my mom and when I was growing up. It was something we always had with butter and sugar. In my family it was a point of contention if you had brown or white sugar.
Q: Who are the cooks you’re aiming for with this book?
A: I would say a range. There are definitely some more challenging recipes that would appeal to somebody who has a fair amount of cooking experience. There are also recipes that somebody who has barely cooked before would be able to do.
I think about the pickling recipes. … When I was going through all these recipes there were so many preserving recipes. I also love pickles, so that was something I loved seeing. Canning can be very intimidating, but I don’t think people realize how simple quick pickling can be. You don’t have to go through the water bath and all that. The quick refrigerator pickles, that’s the recipe I have probably made the most from the cookbook. It is so easy.
Q: In the past, recipes were typically handed down through families and friends, as your grandmother did with her recipe cards. Social media has shifted the conversation. What have you learned pulling these recipes together?
A: Through cooking these old recipes it really felt like such a personal experience. My great-grandmother Judith died when I was 3. My grandmother Veola died when I was 16. My mom’s mom, Nancy, is still alive and cooking all the time. I had heard many stories about my great-grandmother, but she wasn’t someone I had any memory of, so looking at her handwriting and cooking these recipes felt like a way to get to know her …
I feel like Midwestern food, not that it was written off, but it is not necessarily something that was valued.
Q: So what is your goal for Midwestern food with this book? Why put it in the spotlight?
A: I am trying to bring some awareness to Midwestern food, which I feel has been kind of overlooked in the whole American food movement.
Also, I want people to have fun with it. It is not necessarily a serious food. There are all these crazy Jell-O salads and hot dish combinations. It is something people can really enjoy.
More:Cole Ersel, a veteran of Milwaukee kitchens and operator of Milkweed Collective, likes going back to his German roots
More:School 'wasn't in the cards,' so he learned on the job and became executive chef at Grand Geneva
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2022-09-06T12:55:11Z
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For cookbook author, promoting Midwestern food, family recipes is key
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/food/chef-chat/2022/09/06/promoting-midwestern-food-family-recipes-key-cookbook-author-maren-ellingboe-king/7939740001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/food/chef-chat/2022/09/06/promoting-midwestern-food-family-recipes-key-cookbook-author-maren-ellingboe-king/7939740001/
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Broadband service providers that received millions of dollars in grants aimed at expanding high speed internet in Wisconsin failed to document what they actually spent on their projects, according to a new report from the state Legislative Audit Bureau.
The bureau said it examined grants administered by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission under two federal programs: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The report raised concerns about spending oversight.
For example, nearly all the 384 supporting documents the PSC reviewed for CARES Act reimbursements failed to indicate what the grant recipients had actually paid to construct their projects.
What's more, the PSC did not document its efforts to verify that grant recipients had built the high-speed internet infrastructure for which they were reimbursed.
There was also a lack of transparency in the grant decision making process.
An estimated 650,000 Wisconsin residents lack access to high-speed internet, also known as broadband. Hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal grants have been poured into the solving the problem and much more spending is on the way.
"However without any written procedures, documented verification efforts, or proper cost accounting, it's still unclear if these dollars are being put to their highest and best use," state Sen. Robert Cowles, a Republican from Green Bay, said in a statement.
"PSC's lack of oversight and rewriting of application criteria after applications have been submitted has eroded much of my confidence concerning the agency's ability to award future broadband expansion grants," Cowles said.
The Public Service Commission has used ARPA funds to award 83 broadband grants totaling nearly $100 million. It has used CARES Act funds for 12 grants totaling $5.4 million.
But the Legislative Audit Bureau said the PSC failed to establish comprehensive written program policies for the ARPA spending and didn't consistently adhere to its grant application instructions when deciding which projects to fund.
There were problems with the way CARES Act grant recipients were reimbursed.
"We found that 337 of the 384 documents were invoices and 47 documents were payroll reports, receipts, and land easement contracts. (But) an invoice is not proof that a provider paid a cost because, for example, a supplier may accept payment for less than the full invoiced amount," the report said.
Exactly where service was implemented or improved was also uncertain.
Through spot checks, the PSC has said, it's attempted to verify that grant recipients built the broadband networks for which they were reimbursed and that service was delivered. But the agency did not provide proof for the CARES Act grants, according to the report.
"PSC did not document its contacts with businesses and residences in the areas covered by the projects, its attempts to ascertain whether it was possible to order broadband service at locations in those areas, or the information it had obtained from the Federal Communications Commission," the report said.
There was a lack of transparency in the ARPA grant decision-making process.
A four-member panel, including three PSC employees and one Department of Public Instruction employee, scored the applications and made recommendations to the PSC's three politically-appointed commissioners.
"We asked PSC to provide us with the scores that panel members had given to each grant application because we expected that PSC would have retained evidence of how the applications were scored," the report said. But the agency said it did not collect that information because it was considered to be the personal notes of the panel members.
The Legislative Audit Bureau recommended the PSC make multiple changes in its broadband spending oversight and report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee by Nov. 15 on the progress.
The PSC said it disagreed with expense reimbursement portions of the report.
It was worth noting that the audit did not find any errors or unallowable expenses, PSC Chairwoman Rebecca Cameron Valcq said in a letter to the Legislative Audit Bureau.
"Each of the reimbursement requests was supported and accurate per federal guidance and the grant agreement," she said.
PSC Commissioner Ellen Nowak, a Republican, has been critical of how the agency administered the federal broadband grant money.
She said there was a rush to get the CARES Act grants "out the door," and it led to poor decisions.
"Unlike the previous grant proceedings, the criteria for approval in this proceeding was solely whether the applicant thought they could spend the money by the end of 2020," she said.
Of the three commissioners, Nowak cast the only vote against those awards.
"Even though it wasn't required under the CARES Act, asking applicants to provide a match to the federal dollars would have allowed us to accomplish the same level of broadband deployment but at a lower cost to taxpayers," she said.
Nowak said projects that had previously been rejected by the commission were approved under CARES.
"All of a sudden they became worthy just because we had money on the table and it had to be spent by the end of the year," she said.
In June, the PSC awarded $125 million in broadband expansion grants for 71 projects aimed at reaching around 83,000 homes and 4,600 businesses.
The projects will impact 45 counties, according to the agency, bringing new or improved internet access to unserved and underserved areas. Altogether there were 194 applications requesting more than $495 million in funding.
The Legislative Audit Bureau didn't look at state-funded broadband expansion grants, although its review of the CARES and ARPA grants managed by the PSC raised questions about the overall grant approval process and oversight.
"I think this just demonstrates that the entire program is due for some fundamental changes," Nowak said.
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2022-09-06T12:55:17Z
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Audit criticizes oversight of broadband grants
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/09/06/audit-criticizes-oversight-broadband-grants/7964990001/
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Investement in Granite Peak boosted the Wausau ski resort as a destination. Now the owner is turning to resorts in the UP.
The operator of Granite Peak ski resort in Wausau is expanding into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with the purchase of Big Snow Resort, home to two of the region's oldest ski areas, Indianhead and Blackjack mountains.
Charles Skinner, a Minnesota-based ski resort operator, bought the property last week from Art Dumke, an Oshkosh real estate developer. In addition to Granite Peak, Skinner's company, Midwest Family Ski Resorts, also owns Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort in Minnesota.
Greg Fisher, chief marketing officer for Midwest Family Ski Resorts, said Skinner plans to make significant investments in the Michigan property, which has been renamed Snowriver Mountain Resort.
The rebranding also includes name changes for the individual ski areas. Indianhead's base area will become Jackson Creek Summit and Blackjack will be renamed Black River Basin. Both names are nods to nearby rivers.
Fisher said Skinner's acquisition of the resort fits the company's model of investing in older, in some cases historic, ski resorts. Indianhead was the first alpine ski area developed in the U.P., Granite Peak dates to the 1930s and Lutsen will mark its 75th anniversary next year.
The company's properties also fit each other in terms of scale.
Combined, Snowriver Mountain Resort's two ski areas have 56 runs and 15 lifts, making it the largest ski resort in the U.P. Granite Peak is the largest in Wisconsin, and Lutsen is the largest in Minnesota.
"Charles has always been looking at finding opportunities that fit into our niche," Fisher said.
Fisher said the company will renovate the ski area's support buildings, modernize and update hotel rooms, and make other building improvements this fall. The company also plans to upgrade the ski lifts and, in time, replace multiple aging lifts at Jackson Creek Summit with a larger high speed lift.
Even longer term, the company is exploring ways to physically connect the two ski areas, which are almost a mile apart, possibly with a lift.
The company also plans to invest in new snowmaking equipment. While snowmaking is of less importance in the U.P., where the lake effect from Lake Superior drops more than 150 inches of snow each winter, making more and better snow at the start of the season will allow the resort to open earlier, Fisher said.
"Once Christmas rolls around it's the heart of the ski season, but it can be marginal," he said.
Granite Peak offers template, synergies
In Bessemer, a city of about 1,800 people that's 6 miles from the resort, news of the sale has been met with enthusiasm from skiers and local businesses that rely on tourism, said Terry Kryshak, a member of the Bessemer city council.
An avid skier, Kryshak said he's intimately familiar with Skinner's operations and the improvements that he's made at Granite Peak and Lutsen. He expects the resort upgrades and improved marketing will draw more skiers and, hopefully, encourage more people to settle in the region once they've been exposed to it.
"I think for the area, this is going to be a real positive," he said.
Fisher, who is also general manager of Granite Peak, said Skinner has invested more than $35 million in that resort, adding high-speed chairlifts, new buildings and other upgrades since taking over its operation in 2000.
Skinner operates Granite Peak, which is within Rib Mountain State Park, under a 30 year lease with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He and other groups are working with the DNR to add about 40 skiing runs to a wooded area on the west side of the resort as well as mountain biking trails and facilities.
Skinner's investments helped cement Granite Peak's status as a destination for Wisconsin and Illinois skiers. The common wisdom among skiers has become that Granite Peak's improved offerings diverted traffic from resorts in Michigan.
Fischer said he's heard that suggestion, but the company sees opportunities for synergies, not competition, he said.
Snowriver Mountain Resort is just over a two-hour drive from Wausau and just under four hours from Green Bay. Those relatively short drives are expected to increase sales of full-season, all-mountain lift passes for the Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota resorts. The company offered similar passes in recent years for Granite Peak and Lutsen, but travel times limited interest in them, Fisher said.
"We want our guests from Granite Peak to experience skiing in the U.P.," he said. "We feel it's a different brand of skiing, more natural (due to the annual snowfall in the area)."
Fisher said he's noticed growing excitement on social media about the ownership change since Skinner announced in May that he intended to buy Big Snow. The property had been for sale for a couple of years, Fisher said, and "a lot of people were holding their breath" because of uncertainty about the resort's future.
A previous deal to sell the property to a Michigan company, Birch Run Wellness, fell apart in April. Skinner offered to buy it less than a month later and closed the deal in 90 days.
The resort's age and lack of upgrades is hard to miss. Kryshak said Dumke ran the resort well, but lacked the funding he needed to upgrade lifts, buildings and snow-making equipment that were needed to keep the resort competitive.
"It needs a capital infusion to bring it from the '70s to the 2020s," he said. "It's got fabulous hills and snow but the infrastructure is just outdated."
Dumke called his ownership a "passion project," based on a desire to encourage people to get outdoors.
He said he sold the resort without regrets and is proud of the employees who helped him turn the business from a loss to a profit. Those workers will all be offered jobs by the new ownership, he said.
However, making the upgrades the resort needs was a hurdle he couldn't get over, he said.
"I'm really excited about the Skinners taking over and making this region a better place," he said.
Looking for a rebound
Rob Coleman remembers when, in the 1970s and 1980s, the parking lots at the local ski areas were packed daily. That changed, he said, as air travel made skiing the Rocky Mountains easier.
As crowds thinned, maintenance and upgrades fell by the wayside. Coleman, a member of the Bessemer city council since 2015, worked in group sales at Indianhead in the 1990s. Even then, he said, the property's age was showing and "it was really hard to sell something that was so out of touch with the times."
He's optimistic that the new owners can bring back some of that business while creating well-paying jobs in a region that relies heavily on tourism and has few large employers since the nearby White Pine copper mine closed in the mid 1990s.
"I think people are willing to reconnect with (the region's skiing history) and come back to these places," he said. "Now, there's a reason to come back."
Fisher said a robust marketing campaign will seek to better combine the two ski areas as a single destination.
In a statement, Skinner said the name change at Indianhead stemmed from a desire to be more culturally appropriate, citing a "sensitivity to co-opting Native American culture." The rebranding of Big Snow Resort as Snowriver Mountain Resort will differentiate it from a resort in New Hampshire that also uses the Big Snow name, he said.
In Ironwood, Michigan, Assistant Director of Community Development Tim Erickson, sees the potential for a spillover effect that could boost the entire region.
Erickson expects improvements at Snowriver Mountain will spur demand for additional services, help drive growth of new and existing businesses and encourage additional development in the region.
In addition, he said, the expected investment in the resort will help ensure it's still there for the next generations of skiers.
"In general, we're really excited," Erickson said. "We see ourselves as the ski capital of the Midwest."
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2022-09-06T12:55:23Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Granite Peak owner buys Indianhead, Blackjack ski resorts in Michigan
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/09/06/granite-peak-owner-buys-indianhead-blackjack-ski-resorts-michigan/7958831001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/09/06/granite-peak-owner-buys-indianhead-blackjack-ski-resorts-michigan/7958831001/
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UW alum and Oscar winner Frederic March's name was removed from a campus theater in 2018. Calls for its return are getting louder.
There's a renewed push to restore Academy Award-winning actor Fredric March's name on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
A student-led group voted in 2018 to remove the UW alum's name from a theater in Memorial Union because of his association with a student group that shared a name with the Ku Klux Klan in the early 20th century.
UW-Oshkosh followed along for similar reasons, removing March's name from its theater arts center in 2020.
Both universities continue to stand by the name removals even as a growing number of scholars, actors and activists urge for reconsideration. They've signed a letter arguing that March's legacy has been tarnished due to "fact-free, mistaken conclusions" based on little, if any, research. They contend there is overwhelming evidence of his extensive involvement in the civil rights movement.
"No human being has lived a life free of failures and mistakes," the individuals wrote in a letter first sent to UW leaders last fall. "But Fredric March's lifelong commitment to social justice — a record close to being unmatched in his or any era — is precisely the kind of example that should daily be presented to American university students for generations to come."
Among the 30 initial signatories were Clarence B. Jones, an adviser and speechwriter for Martin Luther King Jr.; Oscar-winner Louis Gossett Jr.; and Bernard LaFayette Jr., a Freedom Rider and co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
UW-Madison responded at the time with a letter published in the New York Times.
“There are some things in our country’s history that are so toxic that you can never erase the stain, let alone merit a named space in our student union,” then-Chancellor Rebecca Blank wrote. “Membership in a group with a name like that of the K.K.K. is one of them. This was not a casual ‘erasure of history,’ or cancel culture, but part of a larger effort to research, acknowledge and, to the extent possible, rectify the often painful history and impact of racism and other forms of exclusion, many of which still affect our campus today.”
Two dozen more heavy-hitters in history, Hollywood and civil rights circles signed on to the letter late last month. They include the family of Dana Andrews, who co-starred with March in the Oscar-winning film "The Best Years of Our Lives"; film critic and historian Leonard Maltin; Gail Lumet Buckley, a historian and daughter of actress Lena Horne; actor and activist Mike Farrell; Guy Davis, a blues musician and son of Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis; and Marcia Young Cantarella, daughter of civil rights leader Whitney Young.
The national NAACP, as well as the state and Racine chapters of the civil rights organization, have also signed on to the letter. Racine is March's hometown.
Campus study of KKK
Conversations about removing March's name from the UW-Madison campus surfaced after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017. Blank formed a study group to look at the history of the Ku Klux Klan at UW-Madison and weigh what to do about the Union spaces named after March and another alumnus, Porter Butts.
Both March and Butts were inducted into an interfraternity society that bore the KKK name. But the study group's report said the society had no connection to the white supremacist group, nor did it find any evidence that the group engaged in acts of terrorism, violent intimidation or other activities commonly associated with the national Klan. In fact, the group immediately changed its name when the national Klan came to campus in 1922 to avoid being associated with them.
UW-Madison acknowledged March's actions later in life by noting he “fought the persecution of Hollywood artists, many of them Jewish, in the 1950s by the House Un-American Activities Committee” and that March “took actions later in life to suggest (he) opposed discrimination.”
The study group's report made no recommendation on whether to strip March's and Butts' names from the campus spaces. Instead, it suggested any renaming take place after more substantive research to acknowledge UW-Madison's history of prejudice and discrimination. That additional work will culminate with a Public History Project exhibit opening Sept. 12 at the Chazen Museum of Art.
Despite the study group's lack of a recommendation, the student-led Union Council voted to remove their names.
George Gonis, a UW-Madison alumnus who lives in Milwaukee and is a freelance journalist, saw the move as an overcorrection by campus activists. He published a 17,000-word story based on months of research that detailed example after example of March championing civil rights, including:
His recitation of speeches that championed liberty or equality during high school oratory competitions
His public support for singer Marian Anderson, who was banned from performing at Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall in 1939 because she was Black
His delivery of a keynote address on the 10th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling that came at the request of the NAACP
His narration of a documentary about Blacks serving in World War II
His signing of a telegram condemning President John F. Kennedy for not doing more to protect peaceful protesters from Birmingham police use of fire hoses and German shepherds.
Recognition in other ways
UW-Madison has long struggled to make campus more inviting to students of color.
A survey last year found that while most students from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups had an overall positive experience on campus, they “consistently responded less favorably” when asked about how welcome, safe and respected they felt — a gap that hadn't improved since the survey was last conducted in 2016.
This was the backdrop against which the Union Council considered removing March's name during a monthslong process that included public forums.
"Overwhelmingly, the community expressed strong objection to any connection to campus groups taking the name of or in any way associated with the name “Ku Klux Klan,” no matter the function of the group," a recent UW-Madison statement said.
Asked if the statement represents the position of new Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas on Friday said "the decision was made by Union Council (and) continues to be supported by the university. There are no plans to revisit it."
UW-Oshkosh also said Friday it has no plans to reconsider the decision, referring to an earlier statement that noted the action will create a more inclusive campus.
In honor of March's 125th birthday this year, Turner Classic Movies will air a tribute to the actor on Sept. 30.
"March's birthday provides us an opportunity to set the record straight about March, correcting a misconception that did some unfair damage to his reputation," primetime host Ben Mankiewicz said in a preview video posted by The Hollywood Reporter.
UW-Madison said it still recognizes March's role in university history with an interactive kiosk on the same floor of the Union as the theater that once bore his name.
Gonis said the storytelling display is a woefully inadequate substitute. Of the roughly two dozen sections to read, there are four paragraphs about March. None of them mention his decades of fighting racism.
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2022-09-06T12:55:35Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Calls for return of Fredric March's name to UW-Madison campus get loud
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/09/06/calls-return-fredric-marchs-name-uw-madison-campus-get-loud/7935291001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/09/06/calls-return-fredric-marchs-name-uw-madison-campus-get-loud/7935291001/
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Like countless other women, Therese Jones didn't initially know what to make of the symptoms she was experiencing.
When she was on her period, she'd experience very heavy bleeding. There was a pain in her abdomen. She was anemic.
"I didn't really know what it was," Jones, of Milwaukee, said. "I didn't think about it too much."
Now 44, she was 37 at the time.
At her annual appointment with her OB/GYN, she found out right away. Her uterine fibroids were growing.
There was one in particular that her doctor had noticed the year before. But at this visit, the non-cancerous tumor was 10 centimeters larger. Too large to keep being ignored.
The doctor prescribed medications aimed at shrinking the fibroids. The medication stopped her body from producing the hormones that are thought to feed the growths, essentially putting her body into temporary, early menopause.
"It was horrible, I had the sweats, I gained probably 50 pounds," she said. "And this was right around the time I wanted to have a baby."
She decided to take the medication and see if there would be any improvement over the subsequent three months. But the time passed with no shrinkage of the fibroid. Another three months, still no change.
At that point, her doctor had to stop giving her the medication. Her only options left were surgical. She could have a myomectomy, in which doctors would cut out the fibroids and leave the rest of the uterus intact. Other options would have made her unable to have children, like a hysterectomy, in which the patient's entire uterus is removed.
Jones opted for the myomectomy.
Her recovery from the surgery was lengthy: She needed assistance walking and dressing herself for about three weeks. For about four months, she was in pain.
She spent at least a month out of work, unable to run her prominent Milwaukee-based fashion collection. Jones has shown her designs at Fashion Weeks in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Milan, and has even dressed celebrity clients for the Oscar and Emmy red carpets.
But the surgery worked, and for a while, Jones was in the clear.
Until, about two years later, when she felt the pressure building in her abdomen again.
Her old doctor had moved, so Jones set up an appointment with Dr. Marie Forgie, an OB/GYN at Aurora Sinai Medical Center. Forgie confirmed Jones' suspicions: Her fibroids were growing back.
"Little monsters in there," Jones thought.
A less invasive, less painful option
Jones was not only more aware of her fibroids the second time they started growing; she had also learned of a different, potentially less painful way to treat them.
She first heard about new efforts to treat fibroids while watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Many of the shows cast members have talked openly about their experiences dealing with uterine fibroids, including Kandi Burrus and Cynthia Bailey. Bailey had her fibroids removed through a less-invasive procedure called uterine fibroid embolization. The procedure blocks the blood flow to the fibroid, cutting off its supply of nutrients and causing it to shrink.
Jones mentioned the housewives to Forgie. Was there something less-invasive that she could try this time around?
It turned out the doctors at Aurora Sinai had a different, but equally appealing treatment available. The hospital had actually become quite well-known for performing it.
The minimally-invasive surgery, called radiofrequency ablation or (its trade name) Acessa, uses radiofrequency energy and heat to shrink fibroids to the point where they are much smaller, and can even be reabsorbed into the healthy uterine tissue that surrounds them.
"Even if the fibroid is still there, it changes the consistency of the fibroid from something like a baseball to something like a marshmallow. It's a lot softer," Forgie said. "Then it's less likely to cause pressure on things like your bladder or other structures within your pelvis which then, of course, is less likely to cause you pain and discomfort."
Instead of a large abdominal cut, staples and a long recovery time, doctors would only have to make a few small laparoscopic incisions to perform the surgery. In the year following the surgery, the fibroids can continue to shrink even more, Forgie said. Most patients go home the same day as the surgery and are back at work in three to five days.
In January of this year, Jones told Forgie she was going to opt for the Acessa procedure. The fibroids were continuing to grow, and the symptoms were getting worse.
In early April, she got the surgery.
"I came out of surgery feeling the pressure gone," she said. "As soon as I woke up, I was like 'Oh! They're gone!'"
She was sore for a couple days. After a week and a half, the cuts were healed, and Jones was back to her life.
Fibroids have a disproportionate impact on Black women
Fibroids are very common, with some experts estimating 50% of people with uteruses will develop them at some point in their lives. Others estimate up to 70% or 80% of women will develop them at some point.
It's not known what causes fibroids. Doctors also don't know of concrete measures that can help prevent them.
The benign tumors appear during a person's childbearing years. For many people they shrink after the person enters into menopause, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Fibroids are rarely cancerous. But they can cause many other problems for people who have them.
"Sometimes they're small and they don't really impact a person at all. But sometimes they can grow to be quite large and someone may not even know that they have them," Forgie said. "They may just be living with these really heavy or really painful periods. And so what I've seen often is that women will have these horrible periods and think that it's just normal."
While people of all races and backgrounds develop fibroids, the tumors are disproportionality common among Black women. A March 2014 research review in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology estimated more than 80% of African American women will have fibroids by the age of 50. The tumors are also known to be larger than average in Black women — more likely to cause symptoms like abdominal pain, heavy menstrual bleeding and bloating — and they seem to appear at younger ages, according to the Mayo Clinic.
More:Medical bias: From pain pills to COVID-19, racial discrimination in health care festers
Black women are also more likely than women of other racial backgrounds to be hospitalized because of their fibroids, and more likely to have to get myomectomies, the surgery Jones first had, and hysterectomies because of them.
Recurring fibroids are the No. 1 reason for hysterectomies in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. According to data from Hologic, the women's health-focused medical device company that owns Acessa, of the 2.1 million women annually seeking treatment for fibroids, roughly 240,000 women every year choose to have a hysterectomy.
Increasingly, however, women are calling for more conservative treatments for these painful growths.
"I think that people deserve options," Forgie said. "And people are coming in expecting options, as they should. So it's really nice to have another tool that can help treat their symptoms but also not take them out of their lives for quite as long."
Aurora Sinai docs fight for change, and fewer hysterectomies
As with any new medical treatment or technology, there are some concerns with the Acessa procedure that still have to be worked out.
It is possible that the fibroids can come back. The only treatment where fibroids cannot grow back is the hysterectomy.
Forgie also noted that while women can become pregnant after getting the Acessa procedure, and experts have seen that the surgery doesn't appear to impact pregnancies, there is still not enough clinical data to support recommending the option to women who are considering future fertility.
The procedure is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is recognized by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as an evidence-based treatment for fibroids.
One of the biggest barriers to making the procedure more available to interested patients has been making sure that the procedure is covered by insurance, said Tyler Roosa, a territory manager for Hologic who focuses on southeast Wisconsin.
When Hologic acquired Acessa in 2020, some 20% of procedures were being approved for insurance coverage. Now, that percentage is up to 65%, Roosa said.
In particular, Forgie and her colleagues at Aurora Sinai have worked to establish the hospital as a destination for the procedure. Aurora Sinai was the first hospital in the state to buy the technology so doctors can perform the procedure routinely.
OB/GYN's there have also fought to convince more insurers — public and private — to cover the treatment for their patients. In January, the state Department of Health Services added coverage for the procedure to Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus members following the doctors' advocacy. Forgie said the hospital continues to work with insurers to help get the procedure covered, even if it's not listed as covered to begin with.
Forgie said that she wants women to know that they don't have to just suffer through dealing with their fibroids.
"Women are notorious for just putting their health care aside and being caretakers for other people," she said. "I want people to know right away that they don't have to suffer and that their health is important."
Today, Jones is back to traveling the world, running her fashion design business. Though dealing with her fibroids has delayed plans to grow her family, she still hopes to do so.
She said she feels "amazing," and wants more women to advocate for the health care they need.
"Listen to your body," she said. "If you feel something that's wrong, go get it checked."
Symptoms and resources
For many people, uterine fibroids do not cause symptoms. But in the cases where they do cause symptoms, these are among the most common, according to the Mayo Clinic:
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Menstrual periods lasting more than a week
Difficulty emptying the bladder
Backache or leg pains
You should see your doctor if you have:
Pelvic pain that doesn't go away
Overly heavy, prolonged or painful periods
Spotting or bleeding between periods
Difficulty emptying your bladder
Unexplained low red blood cell count (anemia)
More information about the Acessa procedure is available here: https://gynsurgicalsolutions.com/patients/treatment-options/acessa/
A guide on fibroids and various ways to treat them is available here: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/uterine-fibroids
Q and A on fibroids and menopause from the Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/uterine-fibroids-after-menopause/
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2022-09-06T12:55:41Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Milwaukee hospital pushes for less invasive uterine fibroid treatment
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/09/06/milwaukee-hospital-pushes-less-invasive-uterine-fibroid-treatment/7905426001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/09/06/milwaukee-hospital-pushes-less-invasive-uterine-fibroid-treatment/7905426001/
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Another new subdivision could be coming to Menomonee Falls, with a proposal for 168 lots over 133 acres on the north side of the village
A Brookfield-based developer is proposing to develop 168 single-family housing lots on about 133 acres in Menomonee Falls.
The subdivision would be between Marcy Road and One Mile Road, north of the Cranes Crossing subdivision on the north side of the village.
Charity Land Corp., the developer, is scheduled to present a proposal for a conceptual discussion at the Plan Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in Room 2245 at Village Hall, W156 N8480 Pilgrim Road.
The development company made an initial proposal at the July 5 Plan Commission meeting, but commissioners did not recommend approval to the Village Board.
According to documents filed with the village, the original plan called for 225 housing units, with 81 single-family lots and 72 duplexes with 144 housing units. This plan was rejected because the comprehensive plan calls for the land to be developed as single-family homes. The land is classified as low-density residential.
The revised proposal calls for three areas in the subdivision. The first, Cranes Crossing North, would include 45 single-family lots with an average size of 22,188 square feet.
The second area, called Quiet Woods West, is proposed with 38 single-family lots. The average lot at Quiet Woods West would be 16,878 square feet.
The last area, Quiet Woods East, is proposed with 85 single-family lots and a clubhouse amenity area. The average lot size would be 15,979 square feet,.
Because this is a conceptual discussion, there is no vote, and the developer would need to return to the Plan Commission for approval.
More:Pewaukee-based builder is proposing to build about 365 housing units on Silver Spring Golf Club in Menomonee Falls
More:If village officials approve, construction may begin this year for 53 homes across from Wanaki Golf Course in Menomonee Falls
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2022-09-06T15:04:12Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Menomonee Falls may get a new subdivision
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/06/menomonee-falls-may-get-new-subdivision/7998669001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/06/menomonee-falls-may-get-new-subdivision/7998669001/
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New Ice Age Trail license plate could hit the road in Wisconsin soon
Thousand milers and other Ice Age Trail enthusiasts will be able to show their trail pride on the road with more than a bumper sticker if a new specialty license plate gets approved.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance, the nonprofit group that helps build, maintain and promote the national scenic trail that's completely within Wisconsin, has submitted an application with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Division of Motor Vehicles for a new specialty license plate.
The application is now in the middle of a 30-day public comment period. Wisconsin residents have until Sept. 23 to review the application at wisconsindmv.gov/specialgroupreview and submit objections via email or mail.
If there are no objections, the plate will enter the DOT's development process, which can take up to a year.
But the IATA already has a design it will be submitting for approval, which could accelerate the process and might mean the plate will be ready as early as spring. It will be available for anyone who wants it, not just members of the IATA.
The Ice Age Trail plate would join a list of more than 50 specialty plates that are already available for everything from sports teams like the Packers, Brewers and Bucks to other outdoor groups like Trout Unlimited and the Musky Clubs Alliance.
The proposed design for the Ice Age Trail plate is what's called a full sheeting design, like the specialty Bucks plates that are all green.
At its annual conference in April, the IATA asked attendees to vote on four possible designs, and based its final design — created pro bono by Milwaukee agency Celtic, Inc. — on that input.
Because the design is still pending review by the DOT, the IATA has not released it yet. But according to Melissa Pierick, director of marketing and community relations for the IATA, the design was inspired by the group's logo, with its main colors of blue and yellow and the mammoth.
"It’s bold and will really stand out on a car," she said via email.
The IATA has been thinking about applying for a specialty plate for a while, she said, especially since users see plates for other national scenic trail groups like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and have suggested the IATA get one, too.
The nonprofit agreed and looked into it in 2014. But at that time a specialty plate required state legislative approval, which was more than the nonprofit could take on, Pierick said. The idea came up again this February, and thanks to a simplified process that was implemented a few years ago, they felt they had the resources to take on the project now.
In addition to regular registration fees, the plate will cost $40 — a one-time fee of $15 for the issuance of the specialty plate, and an annual required donation of $25 that goes to the IATA. That fee is tax-deductible.
That money will go toward helping to complete the Ice Age Trail. Only 682 of the trail's roughly 1,200 miles are blazed for hiking, according to Pierick. The rest of the trail is made up of connecting routes — typically low-traffic roads.
In addition to being a fundraiser for the trail, the plate will also be an attention-raiser.
"It will be great awareness," Pierick said. "The Ice Age Trail is unique to Wisconsin and such an asset to the residents. Unfortunately, many residents still don’t know the trail exists. Or, if they do know, they don’t realize its extent. By creating an eye-catching license plate, we’re hoping it causes a person to ask, 'What’s that all about?' "
RELATED:40 years after the Ice Age Trail became a national scenic trail, it still isn't complete. Will it ever be?
RELATED:5 unusual things to see along the Ice Age Trail, from an airplane wreck to a Stone Elephant
How a Wisconsin specialty license plate gets approved
State statutes dictate the process for a specialty license plate to get approved.
First groups must submit an application that includes 500 signatures from people who intend to buy the plate and pay a $15,500 development fee.
Then the application goes through a 30-day public comment period when Wisconsin residents can file objections based on certain grounds, including if the group is for-profit; a church, synagogue, mosque or other group that operates under a creed; or a group that promotes or encourages hatred or racism of any kind.
If there are objections, the application goes to the transportation committee for review by both houses of the state Legislature, which has final say in its approval or denial. If a group is denied, the development fee is refunded.
If there are no objections, the group is approved and the plate enters the development phase, which can take up to a year.
Once the plate is available for the public, 500 people have to buy it within three years. If at any point after that the number of active registrations falls below 500, the DOT gives the group 12 months to meet the threshold again. If they don't, the plate is discontinued.
How to get a specialty plate
If you don't already have a title and/or Wisconsin license plate for your vehicle, you can apply for a specialty plate online.
If you already have a Wisconsin license plate but want a specialty plate, you must mail an application for the specific plate along with a check or money order to the DOT. Plates can be changed at any time, but all specialty plates have a one-time $15 fee. Some require an additional $25 annual donation that's tax-deductible.
Links to the online and paper applications are available at bit.ly/wiplates.
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2022-09-06T15:04:30Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Ice Age Trail license plate could join roster of Wisconsin plates
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2022/09/06/ice-age-trail-license-plate-wisconsin-specialty-plates/7938435001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2022/09/06/ice-age-trail-license-plate-wisconsin-specialty-plates/7938435001/
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Milwaukee area event venues feature 360-degree photo booth
Those who consider themselves a little bit "extra" might want to add a little extra to their selfies. Enter the Phoenix 360 Spin, a 360-degree photo booth.
Rasheda Moss brought the experience to the Milwaukee area after moving from New York a few years ago. Phoenix 360 Spin has two locations: at N81 W15070 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls, and 1505 S.108th St., West Allis.
"It is more interactive. It captures you with your environment," Moss explained.
"You just have to try it," she added.
Participants step on a platform and the camera revolves around them, according to the Phoenix 360 Spin website.
The venue captures images from all angles and turns those images into a video; participants then receive a link to the video.
"Even older people like it," Moss said, noting that most people are using the technology locally for the first time.
In addition to being available at the venues themselves, the device is available to be checked out for weddings, birthday parties or other private events.
Although Phoenix 360 Spin opened in Menomonee Falls about a year ago, Moss has scheduled a grand opening from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Menomonee Falls location to introduce the idea to people and to thank people who have supported her.
As event venues, both locations are open by appointment.
The Menomonee Falls location is about 1,000 square feet, while the West Allis venue is about 2,000 square feet. The Menomonee Falls space can comfortably seat 50 guests, while the West Allis location can seat 100.
More:More businesses are expanding in Menomonee Falls
Moss said both venues also include a selfie booth.
She said the Phoenix 360 Spin is incorporated into all event packages.
She added that the vibe of the place is to "look modern with crystal chandeliers." She said she wanted the venue to be clear and neutral, so it goes with nearly any color.
Moss said she wanted to give people a different experience "where people can be intrigued."
She also offers customized design and decor as part of her services. "We try to be a one-stop place to have an event with memories," she said.
"I like to decorate, and it is really important to create memories. People want to get away from all the negative things in society," added Moss.
For more information, visit phoenix360spin.com.
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2022-09-06T17:12:09Z
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www.jsonline.com
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A new event venue is open in Menomonee Falls and West Allis
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/06/new-event-venue-open-menomonee-falls-and-west-allis/7997655001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/menomonee-falls/2022/09/06/new-event-venue-open-menomonee-falls-and-west-allis/7997655001/
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Their proposed apartments were rejected by Greenfield, so a developer is thinking 'very outside of the box' on a new plan
A proposal for a large apartment complex near Konkel Park was shot down by the Greenfield Common Council, but the company that proposed it is looking at other ideas for the site.
Milwaukee-based Ogden & Co. had proposed building a four-story, 257-unit apartment project at 5401 W. Layton Ave., the former site of River Falls Family Fun Center, but on Aug. 16 the city's common council voted 4-1 against rezoning the parcel after dozens of residents voiced their objections to the project.
But Ogden, which has the parcel under contract, is exploring other potential uses for the site, said Ogden & Co. business development manager and senior broker Mike Testa.
"We're working with the city and a couple of other interested parties to come up with a mutually beneficial solution that benefits the sellers, that benefits the constituents and everybody that lives in the city, that gives the mayor and the alderpeople what they're looking for, and ultimately gets us what we're looking for as well," Testa said.
Testa said he couldn’t comment further because it's early in the process, but said Ogden is pursuing "a couple of different avenues" and they involve "very, very outside of the box thinking."
The Aug. 16 vote came after a lengthy public hearing at which residents overwhelmingly spoke against the Verde Terrace Apartments, a proposed $59 million multi-family housing development.
Reasons ranged from the project's size, its proximity to the park and concerns about its potential effect on parking and traffic.
Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke didn't have a vote at the common council meeting, but he repeated an opinion he had expressed when he reviewed the proposal as a member of the plan commission.
"It's a beautiful building, it's just in the wrong place," Neitzke said Aug. 16.
In an Aug. 25 email, Neitzke said he wasn't sure what was going to happen with the 5-acre parcel.
"Only thing I know is that the requested zoning change that would have permitted the proposed apartment plan for the site has been denied by Council," Neitzke said. "I think the public spoke loud and clear that apartments were not a great fit for the site."
Testa said Ogden should know in the next month or two whether their idea has merit.
"We don't even know if this is going to work, but we have to get other parties and other site owners involved and get everybody to buy in on this," Testa said. "We're working on getting that universal buy in from all these stakeholders right now."
The River Falls Family Fun Center closed in May.
The business was no longer able to operate due to health and family issues and wanted to sell the land for a project that would benefit the community as a whole, according to city documents.
More:Two new local restaurants have been proposed to become a part of the 84South project in Greenfield
More:A new coffee shop is proposed to take the space of the former Rich's House of Cakes in Greenfield
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2022-09-06T17:12:15Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Ogden & Co. making new plans for rejected project at Greenfield site
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/greenfield/2022/09/06/ogden-co-making-new-plans-rejected-apartment-project-greenfield-site/7959185001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/southwest/news/greenfield/2022/09/06/ogden-co-making-new-plans-rejected-apartment-project-greenfield-site/7959185001/
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MADISON - As the spread of monkeypox slows in Wisconsin, the state is expanding vaccine eligibility criteria and health care providers to reach out to communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus.
As of Tuesday, 63 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the state, according to a statement from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Of those cases, 98% have been reported in men with 42% of those cases reported in Black Wisconsinites. The Black population accounts for 6.8% of the state's population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Overall, 50% of the cases were reported in communities of color. In those communities, only 22% self-reported as "non-white" when getting the monkeypox vaccine.
Most cases self-reported having sexual contact with other men, according to DHS.
"DHS encourages vaccinators to collaborate with trusted providers and community-based organizations serving communities of color to help identify and remove barriers to getting vaccinated," according to the statement.
The state is also expanding its vaccine eligibility criteria "to make it easier for those who want to protect themselves against monkeypox to get vaccinated."
Effective Tuesday, Wisconsinites who meet any of the following criteria can get vaccinated:
Gay men, bisexual men, trans men and women, any men who have sex with men, and gender non-conforming/non-binary people who have had multiple sexual partners in the last 14 days or expect to in the future. This may include people living with HIV and people who take HIV pre-exposure because of increased risk of sexually transmitted infections.
People considered to have an elevated risk of exposure to monkeypox in the future.
“Expanding who is eligible to get vaccinated against monkeypox is a critical step in preventing further spread of disease," DHS Secretary Karen Timberlake said in the statement. “It is encouraging to see that the rate of new monkeypox infections is slowing, and this decision allows for even more Wisconsinites to protect themselves against monkeypox. DHS strongly encourages anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated to do so.”
There are 58 sites administering the monkeypox vaccine in Wisconsin.
Anyone who develops a new or unexplained rash should contact a doctor or other health care provider immediately. In addition to eligible people getting vaccinated, everyone should avoid having close skin-to-skin contact with others who have new or unexplained rash. For those without a provider, help is available by dialing 211 or 877-947-2211, or texting your ZIP code to 898-211.
More:Wisconsin reports a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, but also a decline in the number of vaccine doses given
More:About 7% of Wisconsin kids under 5 have gotten first shot against COVID, though vaccine hesitancy remains high
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2022-09-06T17:12:21Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Wisconsin expands monkeypox vaccine criteria for at-risk communities
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/09/06/wisconsin-monkeypox-vaccine-eligibility-criteria-expands-black-community-most-impacted/8000987001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2022/09/06/wisconsin-monkeypox-vaccine-eligibility-criteria-expands-black-community-most-impacted/8000987001/
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The Green Bay Packers have a 53-man roster and a 16-man practice squad ahead of the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 11.
Rules governing the practice squad have shifted in recent years, including a dramatic expansion in the number of players added to it and the opportunity to use those players on game day even without putting them on the active 53-man roster. So how does all that work, exactly?
What is the practice squad, anyway?
NFL teams can keep 16 players on their practice squad, meaning ... it's in the name, that they can practice with the Packers. They're just not eligible to play in games unless they get added to the 53-man or elevated for a given week (we'll get to the particulars on that front). Most of the players the Packers kept were in training camp but were among the final cuts.
Who's on the practice squad for the Packers?
There's some nuance here, but in simplest terms: The players on the practice squad are largely rookie or second-year players, but veterans are eligible, too. Yes, even if they have 15 years NFL experience.
However, only six of the 16 can be "veterans" with two-plus years of experience. The Packers don't have any players who'd be qualified as veterans at the moment — some players (like Travis Fulgham and Juwann Winfree) have played multiple NFL seasons but not in enough games to have "accrued" two seasons (six games in a given season on the active roster gets you an accrued year).
The players on the Packers list are: Winfree (WR), Fulgham (WR), Micah Abernathy (S), Ray Wilborn (ILB), Kobe Jones (OLB), Caleb Jones (OT), Tyler Goodson (RB), Patrick Taylor (RB), Kiondre Thomas (CB), Benjie Franklin (DB), La'Darius Hamilton (OLB), Chris Slayton (DL), Jack Heflin (DL), Danny Etling (QB), Shaun Beyer (TE) and Ramiz Ahmed (K).
All of the practice squad players were in camp with the Packers this year except Franklin, who also comes from Jacksonville, and Beyer, from Minnesota.
Practice squad players can get plucked away by other teams at any time, right?
Yes, any team can sign another team's practice-squad player to its 53-man roster. You'll recall that working out for the Packers last October when they picked up a cornerback from the Arizona Cardinals by the name of Rasul Douglas.
For one thing, the departing player must be signing on another team's 53-man roster; if you want to sign another team's practice squad to your practice squad, he has to be released or clear waivers first.
Furthermore, a team cannot claim any players from its upcoming opponent within six days of a game (or 10 days if a team is on bye). And, a team is obligated to pay its new claims for at least three weeks. Thus, don't expect players to just get picked up for their playbook knowledge and then dumped to the curb. You'll recall Douglas made a big play against his former team last year, but the Packers signed him a couple weeks before playing Arizona.
Four players can get 'protected' each week
Teams have the chance to "protect" four practice-squad players each week from any signings elsewhere, starting with the Tuesday of a given week through the Sunday game. This tool can get used for guys at scarce positions — last year, the Packers protected Kurt Benkert (quarterback) and J.J. Molson (kicker) regularly to avoid getting caught flat footed in case of injury. But it can also be used for players that the team could reasonably intend to "elevate" for that week's opponent. Because, yes ...
In some cases, practice squad players can play in games while not being on the 53-man roster
A practice squad player can get elevated to the active roster for a maximum of three regular-season games in 2022 (and any number of postseason games) without counting against the 53-man roster. They return to the practice squad once the game is over.
Last year, it was just two games, and players such as Benkert or Innis Gaines saw action without officially getting added to the active roster. Winfree and Hamilton appeared as elevated players, then were signed to the active roster — a team would need to make that move if they want a practice-squad player to appear in a fourth game.
When during the week do the players have to be 'elevated?'
Practice squad players can be elevated any time before the team announces its inactives 90 minutes before kickoff, and the team has the option of elevating as many as two players for a given week.
What kind of money do practice squad players make?
Practice squad players are paid weekly and can be released any time, but it figures out to a little over $200,000 for the full 18 weeks, though players with experience can make more and negotiate week-to-week.
More:These Packers were once among final cuts as well, then became key players later
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2022-09-06T17:12:27Z
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www.jsonline.com
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How does the practice squad work for Green Bay Packers?
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/09/06/how-does-practice-squad-work-green-bay-packers/7959999001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2022/09/06/how-does-practice-squad-work-green-bay-packers/7959999001/
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More than 40 puppies are ready for adoption at the Washington County Humane Society after the Washington County Sheriff's Office rescued them as they were being illegally transported from many southern states to a home in Richfield.
Lt. Tim Kemps of the Sheriff's Office told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that a 34-year-old Richfield man got the puppies from Texas and other southern states and was bringing them north in his pickup truck. The man's goal was to make money from the puppies, Kemp said.
He said that the man posted on Facebook that he was getting about 40 puppies. Someone who saw the post reported it to police, concerned that the man did not have the means to support all of the animals.
Two officers from the Washington County Sheriff's Office were waiting at the man's Richfield residence when he arrived. Kemps said there was no paperwork on the puppies and no documentation on their medical history.
"Potential purchasers would not know the health of the dogs," he said.
He also said the officers reported that the puppies were going to be kept in livestock stalls and there would not have been adequate nourishment.
The officers rescued 46 puppies and one adult dog at about 9 p.m. Friday. They were taken to the Washington County Humane Society at about 10 p.m. Seven staff members worked until about 2 a.m. assessing the dogs' medical conditions, providing vaccines and dewormer, flea, tick and heartworm preventatives and briefly quarantining the dogs from other shelter animals to prevent the potential spread of disease, according to Kay Amland, the humane society's executive director.
Early Saturday morning, the humane society's vet, Steven Cybela, examined them and noted there were no major health concerns, according to a news release from the humane society.
The puppies are estimated to be between eight weeks and four months old, Amland said.
Working through the weekend
Amland said nearly 100 volunteers helped throughout the weekend to get the puppies ready for adoption. She said the volunteers cleaned kennels, walked the dogs, did laundry, clipped nails and played with the dogs.
"Some volunteers came back three times a day, some cut their vacation short when they heard (about the puppies) to help out," she said. "I was moved to tears. The community can be proud."
The puppies can be viewed and adopted between 1 and 5 p.m. Tuesday, 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. To make a donation, view the pets available for adoption or apply to adopt, visit wchspets.org or stop by the Washington County Humane Society at 3650 Highway 60, Slinger. More information about the puppies is available on the shelter’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thewchs.
No charges have been filed against the man who was bringing in the dogs; the incident remains under investigation, Kemps said.
More:Washington County Humane Society looking for people to provide outdoor shelter to cats
More:Stingl: Dog lovers lined up to adopt a 14-year-old sad-eyed collie that came in as a stray
Amland said that the Washington County Humane Society needs donations of Purina Puppy Chow, durable dog toys and monetary donations to purchase dewormer, flea/tick and heartworm preventatives, vaccines and food.
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2022-09-06T21:00:43Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Dozens of puppies rescued after being brought illegally to Wisconsin
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/germantown/2022/09/06/dozens-puppies-rescued-after-being-brought-illegally-wisconsin/8000609001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/news/germantown/2022/09/06/dozens-puppies-rescued-after-being-brought-illegally-wisconsin/8000609001/
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The Washington County Sheriff's Office intercepted 47 puppies in Richfield after being tipped off that the pups were being illegally transported to the state from the southern U.S., the Washington County Humane Society said.
Late Friday night, the sheriff's office found the dogs at a residence in Richfield and immediately contacted the humane society, which "quickly and efficiently mobilize(d) staff" to "intake the overwhelmed and frightened pups," the human society said in a news release.
"Care staff worked diligently into the early hours of the morning intaking each dog. This entailed assessing their medical conditions; providing vaccines, dewormer, flea, tick and heartworm preventatives; and briefly quarantining the dogs from other shelter animals to prevent the potential spread of disease. Early Saturday morning, only a few hours after the dogs arrived, (a veterinarian) was onsite to examine them, noting there were no major health concerns."
As of Sunday, 41 of the 47 pups had been spayed or neutered. The humane society reopened on Tuesday, following the holiday weekend, so the pups are now available for viewing and adoption.
The available dogs can be viewed between 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday. "Phones are ringing off the hook and emails are flooding inboxes," the humane society said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
The humane society is looking for donations of Purina Puppy Chow and durable dog toys. Items can be dropped off or shipped to the shelter at 3650 State Road 60, Slinger, WI. Visit wchspets.org to make a donation and to view the pups and all of the humane society's adoptable pets.
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2022-09-06T21:00:49Z
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www.jsonline.com
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47 puppies found in Washington County residence ready for adoption
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/06/47-puppies-found-washington-county-residence-ready-adoption/8004299001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/09/06/47-puppies-found-washington-county-residence-ready-adoption/8004299001/
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The Marquette men's basketball team keeps stockpiling future talent.
Tre Norman, a 6-foot-3 guard from Worcester Academy in Massachusetts, committed to the Golden Eagles during a video announcement on social media Tuesday.
Norman became the third prospect to commit to MU in the 2023 class, joining Zaide Lowery and Al Amadou. Norman is the highest ranked of the trio at No. 85 in 247Sports composite rankings.
More: Zaide Lowery fits recruiting profile of Marquette's Shaka Smart
More: What Marquette is getting in 2023 recruit Al Amadou
Norman averaged 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds last season at Worcester Academy, which won the Class AA championship in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.
Norman also gained notice by averaging 20 points over four games for the Boston Amateur Basketball Club in July at the EYBL Peach Jam, the championship round of Nike's highly competitive AAU circuit.
"Downhill, tough-nosed guard, I guess," Norman said in describing his game to the Journal Sentinel in July. "I like to have mismatch situations on smaller guards."
MU offered Norman a scholarship in February and he made an official visit to campus in June. He also made official visits to Harvard and Rutgers.
Norman wanted to commit on Sept. 6, the birthday of former Kentucky standout Terrence Clarke. The 19-year-old Clarke, a well-known player from Boston, died in a car accident in April 2021 just a few months before he would have been selected in the NBA draft.
"He did everything he could to help the youth, especially, in the community," Norman told the Journal Sentinel. "As one of those guys who knew him and kind of lived near him, I'm kind of obligated to carry on and do what I can to continue what he was doing."
Lowery, Amadou and Norman can ink national letters of intent in the fall signing period from Nov. 9-16. MU head coach Shaka Smart can't comment on the Golden Eagles' recruits until then.
MU is slated to lose only graduate transfer Zach Wrightsil from next season's team and also has an open scholarship slot. But adding three more players will put the Golden Eagles one scholarship over the NCAA limit of 13 for the 2023-24 season, so a player will need to depart after next season to make room.
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2022-09-06T22:47:23Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Guard Tre Norman commits to Marquette, Shaka Smart in 2023 recruiting
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2022/09/06/guard-tre-norman-commits-marquette-shaka-smart-2023-recruiting/8000507001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2022/09/06/guard-tre-norman-commits-marquette-shaka-smart-2023-recruiting/8000507001/
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The latest edition of the NBA's marquee video game, NBA 2K23, releases on Friday and 2K has been releasing player ratings on social media Tuesday.
Although being on the same level as the current MVP, Lebron, and Steph Curry would have most players thrilled, Durant has taken exception with his rating, calling his rating "laughable" on Twitter. He also asked why he wouldn't be a 99 overall.
According to Sports Illustrated, only five players in history have ever received a 99 rating while actively playing: Lebron, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. Only one player has ever received a 100 rating in the game — Shaquille O'Neal.
Giannis' rating could certainly change, as developers continually update the rosters and ratings throughout the season.
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2022-09-07T00:29:11Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is the highest rated player in NBA 2K23
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/06/giannis-antetokounmpo-highest-rated-player-nba-2-k-23/8006273001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2022/09/06/giannis-antetokounmpo-highest-rated-player-nba-2-k-23/8006273001/
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Student worker shortage leads UW-Milwaukee to ask professors for help in dining halls
Faculty and staff received an email asking for volunteers to clean tables, serve food and replenish buffet bars, all in an effort to keep the thousands of students who moved into dorms last week fed.
The request prompted pushback from some professors who saw the plea as a casual suggestion to work for free and offset poor administrative planning.
"Let’s ask faculty and staff to do yet another thing on top of the many others things they already do that are unpaid or severely underpaid," said English professor Joel Berkowitz. "Frankly, I find it pretty perverse."
Nolan Davis, who leads UWM's dining services, said the situation isn't unprecedented and is due almost entirely to a shortage of student workers, not full-time workers.
Before the pandemic, about 80% of student dining workers returned each year, he said. But when the campus closed in March 2020 after COVID-19 hit, all student employees were let go and only about 20% of them returned in the fall of 2020 and in 2021.
That left UWM scrambling each fall semester to hire new students at a time when some are still settling into school and not necessarily looking for a job. Volunteers helped fill the gap for those first few weeks, he said. Most of them came from within dining operations and units that had reduced hours or services due to the virus.
This school year marks the first in which all dining locations are open for the first time, leading UWM to expand its call for help to the broader campus.
UWM needs about 300 student workers to staff its three cafeterias, Davis said. About 40% of those slots are filled, meaning the university is looking to hire about 180 more students.
The staffing shortage this year is actually less severe than in the previous two falls, Davis said. It's just attracted more attention because UWM sent an email as opposed to relying on word-of-mouth like the past two falls. The email approach was taken to include an easily accessible link to an online sign-up sheet, allowing prospective volunteers to quickly see what shifts need workers.
A student worker with no dining experience can earn $11 an hour at UWM. Pay is always an issue, Davis said, but he sees the timing around the start of the school year driving the current shortage more than pay.
UW-Madison, meanwhile, recently announced it increased starting hourly pay for dining hall workers from $11 to $15. The pay bump's already led to an uptick in applications, officials told The Capital Times.
The number of UWM employees who signed up to volunteer wasn't available Tuesday. The four-hour shifts run from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., though UWM's email said "we will take whatever generosity we can get."
The email asked employees taking time out of their regular work day to clear it with their supervisor and noted that time donated outside of regular work schedules is unpaid.
Joan Nesbitt decided to help out at Sandburg Cafe from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Having just started as the university's vice chancellor for development and alumni relations earlier this year, she saw the volunteer request as an opportunity to meet new people and provide students with a great experience.
Many of the cafe's full-time dining employees thanked her for volunteering, she said, and the experience reinforced how hard they work.
Like all volunteers, Nesbitt doesn't take the place of the skilled chefs. Their work supports the trained restaurant professionals. She cut fruit. Others may restock the salad bar or serve food at one of the stations in the food court-style cafeteria.
"I've never cut so many pineapples in my life," she said about two hours into her shift.
This isn't the first time a university has asked employees for help in dining halls. Michigan State last fall made a similar plea, drawing ire across social media.
Marquette University is also facing staffing challenges, spokesperson Lynn Griffith said, but "we are fortunate that our current dining services team can manage and navigate these challenges at this time."
UWM said it's not uncommon for workers in one unit to help out in another. It happens every year during move-in.
The comparison came across as disingenuous to lecturer Eric Lohman.
"The university is on public relations cleanup duty, trying to spin this about how common this thing is and it’s just a big understanding," he said. "Well, it blew up in their face and they’re trying to do damage control but the damage is done."
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2022-09-07T10:11:51Z
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www.jsonline.com
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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee seeks volunteers for dining halls
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/09/07/university-wisconsin-milwaukee-seeks-volunteers-dining-halls/8003481001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2022/09/07/university-wisconsin-milwaukee-seeks-volunteers-dining-halls/8003481001/
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Four years ago, the governor of Wisconsin entered the fall of his reelection year clinging to a small lead over his lesser-known challenger despite the political drag of an unpopular president in his own party.
That was Republican Scott Walker, and he lost.
Today the man who beat him, Democrat Tony Evers, finds himself in a very similar position.
Like Walker in the summer of 2018, Evers’ approval ratings are marginally positive.
Like Walker, he holds a small lead over his opponent.
And like Walker, Evers shares a political party with a first-term president dogged by negative job ratings.
In Walker’s case, it was Republican President Donald Trump.
In Evers’ case, it’s Democratic President Joe Biden, who appeared with the governor at Milwaukee’s Laborfest on Monday.
A comparison of the summertime polling in Wisconsin in 2018 and 2022 reveals some uncanny parallels between Walker’s numbers and Evers’ numbers entering the home stretch of their reelection campaigns. Some of their key polling benchmarks are virtually identical.
That fact probably says less about the personal parallels between these two governors than it does about the landscape they share: the extreme competitiveness of their state, the polarized character of politics today and the nature of midterm elections.
Walker and Evers are different politicians from different parties with different styles and histories.
Along with the obvious parallels between their races, the polling also reflects important distinctions in their circumstances and their public images. Walker was seeking a third term, Evers a second. Republicans controlled the Legislature under Walker. Government is divided under Evers. Voters are less polarized over Evers than they were over Walker.
More:In another heated election season, Marquette Poll marks 10th anniversary of taking the pulse of Wisconsin's voters
More:Marquette poll shows Mandela Barnes with 7-point lead over U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson; Gov. Tony Evers in close race with GOP's Tim Michels
Key features of the 2022 campaign cycle weren’t present in 2018, including a very dark public mood, an economy marked by high inflation and a super-tight job market, the pandemic, the salience of abortion after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the unusually prominent political role being played by a former president (Trump).
To explore both the similarities and contrasts between Wisconsin’s past two races for governor, I took a closer look at how Walker, Trump, Evers and Biden were polling here at the same point in these two midterm election cycles. The survey data was provided by Marquette pollster Charles Franklin and drawn from the three surveys Franklin conducted in the summer of 2018 (June, July and August) and the two he conducted in the summer of 2022 (June and August).
Let’s start with the parallels:
Walker and Evers had the same net job approval going into their fall campaigns. In the summer of 2018, 48% of registered voters approved of Walker and 46% disapproved, for a net rating of plus 2. In the summer of 2022, 47% of voters approved of Evers and 45% disapproved, for a net rating of plus 2.
Walker and Evers each polled two points ahead of their general election challenger following the August primaries. Walker led Evers 46% to 44% (with a third candidate drawing 7%) in August of 2018. Evers led GOP opponent Tim Michels 45% to 43% (with a third candidate drawing 7%) in August of 2022.
In both cases, the sitting president in the governor’s party was “under water” politically, meaning more voters disapproved than approved of his performance.
In both cases, Wisconsin’s governor was significantly outperforming the president among his state’s voters. Walker’s job approval was 5 points higher than fellow Republican Trump’s, and Evers' job approval was 7 points higher than fellow Democrat Biden’s.
What explains the sameness of all these numbers?
It starts with the fact that Wisconsin is an evenly divided state where very close elections at the top of the ticket are not only commonplace — they’re the norm. Evers defeated Walker by 1 point in 2018, a race sandwiched between two presidential contests (2016 and 2020) that were even closer.
The polarized nature of our politics means that governors and presidents can count on the overwhelming opposition of voters in the other party. As a result, their job ratings typically fall into a narrower range than they would have two or three decades ago.
For all the parallels, there are also big differences in Wisconsin polling numbers
What about the differences?
There are some big ones.
In 2018, Democratic voters were more enthusiastic than Republican voters. This time, the enthusiasm gap has favored Republicans, though it narrowed in the last Marquette poll.
Voters were much more upbeat in 2018 than they are in 2022 about where their state is headed.
Walker lost his bid for a third term despite this. In the summer of 2018, 52% of voters said Wisconsin was going in the “right direction” and 42% said it was headed on the “wrong track.” On the eve of the election, “right direction” had climbed to 55% and “wrong track” had dropped to 40%.
But while 55% of voters were happy with where the state was headed, only 48% of those who turned out to vote backed Walker. A critical fraction of the electorate was “satisfied” with conditions but wanted to turn the page on a lightning-rod governor who had served eight years, already achieved his agenda, and frequently left the state during his second term in a failed bid for president.
While Walker barely lost despite underperforming the state’s “right track” number, Evers will have to dramatically overperform “right track” to have a shot at winning.
That’s because the electorate is a lot more pessimistic today. Combining Marquette’s last two polls (June and August), only 36% say the state is headed in the right direction — about 20 points lower than on the eve of the 2018 election. Yet Evers' approval, at 47%, is much higher than the right track number.
How has he managed that?
The simplest explanation is that not only Republicans, but a lot of Democrats (40% of them) are pessimistic about the future, using this measure. That depresses the “right track” number. Except these Democrats are frustrated for different reasons than Republicans. They’re upset about Trump and the GOP and Republican opposition to Biden and Evers. That’s why almost a third of voters who say Wisconsin is on the “wrong track” approve of the state’s governor.
The polling points to other contrasts as well between Walker and Evers.
While their overall approval ratings in the summers of 2018 and 2022 were virtually identical, they got there in different ways.
Walker’s numbers were built more on his partisan base. He had an even higher job rating in his own party than Evers has in his party. But Walker had a negative job rating among independents in the summer of 2018, a harbinger of trouble. Evers has a positive job rating among independents.
Voters had more intense feelings about Walker than they do about Evers. Marquette’s polling offers respondents the option of “strongly” approving or disapproving of their governor or “somewhat” approving or disapproving. In August of 2018, 68% voiced either “strong” approval or “strong” disapproval of Walker; in August of 2022, 57% registered “strong” approval or “strong” disapproval of Evers.
Voters were more polarized along party lines over Walker than they are over Evers. But men and women are further apart in their attitudes about Evers than about Walker. Put another way, the gender gap is bigger. (This was true both before and after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).
There are also differences in the role that the presidency is playing in these two races for governor.
Both Trump in the summer of 2018 and Biden in the summer of 2022 suffered from negative job ratings, making them a potential drag on Walker and Evers, respectively.
Biden‘s midterm numbers are even worse than Trump’s were here. In the summer of 2018, Trump averaged 43% approval and 50% disapproval. This summer, Biden is averaging 40% approval and 56% disapproval. Biden has fewer “strong” approvers than Trump did and more “strong” disapprovers.
That suggests Biden may be a bigger drag on Evers than Trump was on Walker. But that could change if Biden’s approval rating starts to tick up here, as it has nationally.
Trump represents a wild card in 2022
Another caveat is really one of the unique wild cards of the 2022 midterms, which is the centrality of a former president (Trump) in the political news. There is no parallel to this in the 2018 midterm. Democrats are trying to make the election as much a referendum on Trump as Biden, who repeated his attacks on “MAGA (Make America Great Again) Republicans” during his visit to Milwaukee Monday.
Whether Democrats succeed in this remains to be seen. But Trump has a 38% positive rating in Marquette’s polling, making him slightly more unpopular than even Biden in Wisconsin.
None of these comparisons tell us who is going to win this year’s race for governor. Some of the differences between 2018 and 2022 suggest Evers has an easier path than Walker did. Some suggest he has a harder path.
But the broad similarities point to another epic nailbiter.
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2022-09-07T10:11:57Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Parallels between 2018 and 2022 point to tight Wisconsin governor race
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/analysis/2022/09/07/parallels-between-2018-and-2022-point-tight-wisconsin-governor-race/7999250001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/analysis/2022/09/07/parallels-between-2018-and-2022-point-tight-wisconsin-governor-race/7999250001/
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Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette emerged victorious on primary night in August and is now preparing to face off against Republican Rep. Amy Loudenbeck of Clinton.
He entered the general election season at a significant cash disadvantage to Loudenbeck and said he has only recently begun launching efforts to raise campaign money.
Should La Follette lose reelection and Republicans flip the governor’s mansion, the GOP has signaled its intent to eliminate the Wisconsin Elections Commission. One idea floated by some Republicans is to transfer duties related to election oversight to the secretary of state’s office, a move that has alarmed Democrats.
Here’s what to know about La Follette as he seeks his 11th consecutive term.
La Follette is Wisconsin’s longest serving secretary of state
La Follette was first elected secretary of state in 1974. He ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 1978 before returning to the office after running again in 1982. To date, he has spent 43 years as secretary of state. He enjoys substantial name recognition throughout the state as the great-grandson of the progressive politician “Fighting Bob” La Follette, a former governor, congressman and presidential candidate.
Lawmakers have reduced La Follette's office to a small room in the basement of the state Capitol with two positions and a budget of less than $250,000 per year.
La Follette initially planned to retire
At the age of 82, La Follette is among the oldest public officials serving in Wisconsin. La Follette said he originally did not intend to run for an additional term but was persuaded to do so by Democratic Party leadership and voters.
La Follette struggled to obtain the signatures required to appear on the ballot and faced a primary challenge from Alexia Sabor, the chair of the Dane County Democratic Party, which he easily beat back on election night.
What are La Follette’s notable political positions?
La Follette is a staunch opponent of the possibility of transferring election administration into the hands of the secretary of state. He has repeatedly suggested his opponent may toss out legitimate Democratic victories in the state and refuse to certify their election.
He said he believes the WEC should maintain control of electoral oversight, though he preferred when election management duties were in the hands of the now-defunct Government Accountability Board.
La Follette framed the race for secretary of state as a referendum on democracy and frequently referenced efforts by state-level Republicans in the battleground states of Arizona and Pennsylvania to place 2020 election conspiracy theorists in control of election oversight, suggesting the Wisconsin GOP is engaging in similar efforts.
How popular is La Follette?
La Follette coasted to a 128,000 vote victory in his primary race and repeatedly won reelection in years that proved difficult for Democrats.
How do I contact La Follette?
La Follette can be reached at sosdoug@hotmail.com.
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2022-09-07T13:15:15Z
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www.jsonline.com
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What to know about Doug La Follette, Wisconsin's secretary of state
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/09/07/what-know-doug-la-follette-wisconsins-secretary-state/7905399001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/09/07/what-know-doug-la-follette-wisconsins-secretary-state/7905399001/
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John Gaier, Danny Pyeatt and Chad Trowbridge
This summer across Wisconsin, superintendents, business managers and bookkeepers in our 421 public school districts crafted preliminary budgets for approval by school boards. They used a wide variety of data, but high on the list was the funding per student in each district.
If you read that sentence again, it might raise questions in your mind: “Each school district gets a different dollar amount per student? Why?”
The answer is that school funding in Wisconsin is government-controlled, with widely different funding levels between districts. It’s an approach that leaves thousands of students with many fewer resources than others.
More:Wisconsin school districts using final federal COVID funds to help students catch up on reading, math
In 1994, a “temporary, five-year plan” in the state budget used 1993 spending limits to district revenues. No one knew it was coming, and district spending was widely different across the state. Some were spending on construction, new curriculum, student desks or lockers. Others were tightening their belts. Spending varied by over 250%, from a low of $4,117 per student in Waterford to a high of more than $11,000 per student just 35 miles away in Nicolet (suburban Milwaukee).
When these government mandates were imposed, voters in districts on the losing side of the equation expressed their frustrations. The August 1993 Wisconsin Association of School Board’s newsletter reported that “Legislators promised future modifications in the school aid formula to ensure equity in school funding.”
But that plan never materialized, leaving us with a system of potential winners and losers.
These differences have carried on for 30 years to today’s unfair fiscal realities in all regions of Wisconsin:
• Mukwonago in suburban Milwaukee is limited to $10,000 per student while nearby Elmbrook receives $12,027 per student.
• Chippewa Falls, Sparta and Onalaska are limited to less than $10,355 per student while nearby Melrose-Mindoro receives $12,003 per student.
• Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac are limited to less than $10,251 per student, while nearby Green Lake receives $12,779 per student.
• Antigo and Green Bay are limited to $10,000 per student, while nearby Gresham receives $13,928 per student and Gibraltar in Door County receives a whopping $21,628 per student. Is it twice as expensive to educate a student in Sister Bay than in Green Bay?
• Beloit and Janesville are limited to less than $10,039 per student, while nearby Juda, Albany and Fontana receive more than $12,000 per student.
• Superior and Ashland are limited to less than $10,102, while nearby Solon Springs receives $12,450 and South Shore over $18,000 per student.
More:Wisconsin is flush with money, but some school districts expect to see little of it
There are many more examples we could share, but you get the picture: Government controls imposed in 1994 have carried into school district budgets three decades later. It’s a clear violation of the Wisconsin Constitution Article X, Section 3 which states, “The legislature shall provide by law for the establishment of district schools, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable” (emphasis added).
To be clear, we are not asking for any district to have their funding reduced. What we are asking is that if the Legislature provides new funding for education, those new funds go first to the districts that have been living with less for so long. These districts should be able to provide the same level of opportunities to their students as the districts that have received significantly more per student for almost 30 years.
The current school funding system in Wisconsin presents a wide variety of problems not only in poorly funded districts but across our entire state. We hear a lot about creating competitive markets in education. Sadly, the current system creates fiscal winners and losers. How can poorly funded districts compete with their peers who get thousands of dollars more per student? These districts often lose students to open enrollment to higher-funded neighboring districts, which creates even more of a financial hardship for the already underfunded districts.
Because of the current funding formula, low-revenue districts constantly struggle to provide the same levels of staffing, programs, services and co-curricular activities for their students as districts with access to higher per student funding. It should be clear that we all lose when thousands of students across the state get shortchanged in this outdated funding plan.
To start, the Legislature should raise the minimum amount of per pupil funding that school districts can raise. All districts need a cost of living increase every year, and low-revenue districts need even more than that, so that they can fund the same types of student programs and opportunities that other districts in the state are able to offer their students.
A recent memo from the Legislature’s nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau shows tax collections are above the agency’s already healthy January estimates by $1.6 billion. Our next state budget should use these revenues to tie funding to specific student needs. Districts across the state need additional funding for special needs students, economically disadvantaged students and English learners. Research has shown that these students can succeed, but they require additional support. It is time that we have a funding system that takes those needs into consideration.
A representative of the state superintendent’s office has assured us that the next budget proposal would include funding specifically aimed at improving equity between districts.
If we truly want all students to succeed, we need to tie funding to today’s student needs, and not to what a district spent 30 years ago. The time is now to ask your legislators to support the education of all children in our state by their needs and not by where they go to school.
The Wisconsin Association for Equity in Funding is a group of low-revenue districts that collectively educate about 100,000 students and has advocated for changes to the funding system for decades. John Gaier is the chair of The Wisconsin Association for Equity in Funding. Danny Pyeatt is the president of the school board, Unified School District of Antigo, and Chad Trowbridge is the business manager of the Chippewa Falls Unified School District.
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2022-09-07T13:15:21Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Make Wisconsin's school funding system equitable for all districts
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/09/07/make-wisconsins-school-funding-system-equitable-all-districts/7976076001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/2022/09/07/make-wisconsins-school-funding-system-equitable-all-districts/7976076001/
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DENVER - A little more than a month after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers only to never pitch for them and be cut loose 48 hours later, Dinelson Lamet could only smile and shake his head when asked about how everything had played out for him.
"It was definitely an experience," said the right-hander Tuesday from the home clubhouse at Coors Field through translator Aaron Muñoz. Lamet is now a reliever for the Colorado Rockies, who quickly snapped him up after his short Brewers tenure.
"But I’m a man of faith and I believe that everything happens for a reason. Being with Milwaukee for one day was what happened, and I had faith and trust that it was going to work out eventually."
Lamet, 30, was the smallest piece of the five-player blockbuster deal that sent Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres on Aug. 1.
Coming back to the Brewers was Padres left-hander Taylor Rogers, a pair of minor-league prospects in outfielder Esteury Ruiz and left-hander Robert Gasser, and, finally, Lamet.
With a 0-1 record, 9.49 earned run average and WHIP of 2.03 in 13 appearances with San Diego, Lamet certainly wasn't expected to be a difference-maker for Milwaukee.
But with a bullpen at the time that could have used some fortification at the front end and Lamet's pedigree as a terrific pitcher in the not-too-distant past – he finished fourth in the balloting for the National League Cy Young Award in 2020 as a starter – it stood to figure he was at least worth taking a gamble on.
So in the aftermath of the trade, Lamet packed up and headed from the West Coast to the East Coast, where he joined the Brewers at PNC Park during their game with the Pirates on Aug. 2.
He pulled on his No. 29 jersey then joined his new teammates in the bullpen.
"I spoke with (general manager Matt Arnold) there and he explained to me (what was going on)," said Lamet. "I was flying to Pittsburgh from San Diego and I got there a little late. They were already playing, but everyone was welcoming and treated me like I was part of the team."
On Aug. 3, Lamet was informed he had been designated for assignment in a flurry of roster moves by the Brewers. That exposed him to being claimed by the 29 other teams, and indeed Lamet was claimed two days later by Colorado.
"I got back (to the ballpark) the next day and they told me I was DFAd," said Lamet. "I had no control over it, but that’s all part of it."
While it was a head-scratching move on the surface, the math in the bullpen at the time left Lamet as the odd man out.
The optics weren't good in that Lamet had only recently reached five years of major-league service time, which meant the Brewers were no longer able to simply option him to the minor leagues and retain control of him.
Then, on Aug. 7, the Brewers DFAd left-hander Jake McGee, adding to the consternation of some.
But it also bears repeating what president of baseball operations David Stearns said at the time of Lamet's DFA: "Dinelson has a good arm and was included in the trade to help balance out the deal," likely meaning the Brewers took him on in lieu of sending the Padres cash to complete the transaction.
In the wake of his DFA, Lamet headed back to San Diego to briefly rejoin his family. Then it was off to join the Rockies, for whom he's gone 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA and WHIP of 0.84 in 10 relief appearances.
He's also struck out 13 in 10⅔ innings.
"I'm just worried about finishing this year," Lamet said when asked what the future might hold for him in 2023. "I just want to finish strong, go out there and continue to pitch well and see what happens.
"We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it."
Lamet wound up pitching 1 1/3 innings in helping the Rockies come back to beat the Brewers, 10-7, in 10 innings. He allowed an inherited runner to score when Willy Adames greeted him with a double and also walked a batter while striking out three.
Did Lamet keep anything from his short time with the Brewers?
"I wasn’t part of the team for that long and didn’t really contribute," Lamet said. "So, for me to take anything, I don’t think it would be right."
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2022-09-07T13:15:33Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Dinelson's Lamet 48-hour tenure as a Brewer 'definitely an experience'
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/07/dinelsons-lamet-48-hour-tenure-brewer-definitely-experience/8001218001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/09/07/dinelsons-lamet-48-hour-tenure-brewer-definitely-experience/8001218001/
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Empty Bowls will be back in person, in Milwaukee's Deer District with new organizers
The popular Empty Bowls fundraiser for hunger relief will be in person this year, on Oct. 9. It's the first time in the pandemic that it's returning to its traditional format, more or less, although it will be in the open air of the Deer District's Beer Garden downtown.
The event, which raises money by selling one-of-a-kind artists' bowls with soup samples by restaurants, has a new organizer this year: Friedens Food Pantries, a network of four emergency food banks in Milwaukee, led by Executive Director Sophia Torrijos. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization.
"We’re just so elated Sophia and her group have taken up the charge," said April Klinter, who had served first as treasurer and later as president of Milwaukee Empty Bowls, the nonprofit group of volunteers who operated the event from 1998 until 2021. "We could not be happier."
The Empty Bowls group decided raising $1 million to fight food insecurity would be a good stopping point for members, Klinter said. With the 2021 event — outdoor pop-ups involving a food truck plus bowl sales through Outpost Natural Foods — Milwaukee Empty Bowls reached its goal, giving more than $1 million since 1998 to local groups fighting hunger.
The group wanted to hand the reins to an organization that could continue Empty Bowls in Milwaukee yet make the event its own, Klinter said, and that's where Friedens entered.
"We love how fun and accessible and collaborative it is" with restaurants and artists, Torrijos said of Empty Bowls. "I have a whole stack of bowls myself at home."
The bowls are intended to symbolize the empty bowls of people facing food insecurity. "Every time you open the cupboard, it’s a reminder,” Torrijos said.
The event this year will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 9. Because the Beer Garden is open air but covered, Empty Bowls will take place rain or shine. The Beer Garden is south of Juneau Avenue, off King Drive.
Although patrons can simply walk up and buy handmade bowls at the event, Friedens this year is selling tickets online in advance. It will help the group plan, ensure that ticket buyers are guaranteed bowls and allow attendees to bypass the ticket-buying line at the event.
Tickets this year are $30 for one bowl by an artist, which includes two soup samples. Attendees will pick out their own bowls. Additional soup samples are available for $5 each; engraved spoons can be ordered as in the past, for $15. Bowls made by students are $15 apiece, and also include two soup samples.
The lineup of vendors preparing soups this year so far includes Lisa Kaye Catering, Tostada MKE, Three Brothers Serbian Restaurant, Lazy Susan and Outpost, which also will sell bowls after the event, for those unable to attend.
Artists contributing bowls include a group from Cream City Clay, 7105 W. Greenfield Ave. in West Allis, which will sell bowls through the end of the year to benefit Friedens.
Advance tickets are available at friedenspantry.org/empty-bowls.
Also, a virtual auction to benefit the food pantries opens at 1 p.m. Oct. 6 and closes at 3 p.m. Oct. 9, at 32auctions.com/FriedensEmptyBowls.
The Milwaukee Empty Bowls event historically has been one of the largest in the country, organizers have said. The event is held in cities around the world, and it's been held in other communities in the Milwaukee area.
The goal is to raise $50,000, which would ease food insecurity for more than 10,000 people, according to Friedens, which was founded in 1978.
All proceeds will benefit Friedens’ four food pantries — Coggs Center, 1220 W. Vliet St.; Despensa de la Paz, 1615 S. 22nd St.; Hope House, 209 W. Orchard St.; and Zion Rock, 10230 W. Fond Du lac Ave. — and also support nutrition education and other efforts.
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2022-09-07T14:46:21Z
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www.jsonline.com
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Empty Bowls 2022 will be in person in Milwaukee's Deer District
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/09/07/empty-bowls-2022-person-milwaukees-deer-district/7941517001/
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https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2022/09/07/empty-bowls-2022-person-milwaukees-deer-district/7941517001/
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