"A
Los Angeles man charged with fatally shooting his 29-year-old son for
being gay had repeatedly threatened to kill him over his sexual
orientation, prosecutors say. Tuesday, Amir Issa, 29, was found shot to
death just outside the family home. While the Los Angeles County
district attorney's office charged father Shehada Issa, 69, on Friday
with murder as a hate crime in the son's death, investigators on
Saturday still were trying to determine responsibility for a second
killing at the home discovered by police at the same time, that of
Amir's mother, police spokesman said." http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c2... http://www.wochit.com
The Associated Press - Republican Presidential Candidate Donals Trump speaks at a campaign
stop, Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Appleton, Wis. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
"RACINE — The Donald Trump show comes to Racine Saturday.
"The
Republican presidential front-runner has scheduled a campaign event at
noon at Memorial Hall, 5 Fifth St. Doors open at 10 a.m. Tickets are
available on Trump's website.
"The Racine Police Department was busy Friday preparing for the event, which was scheduled on short notice.
"The department is bracing for
anything, police Lt. Al Days said. Many Trump rallies have attracted
scores of protesters and, in some cases, violence.
"'We
will just make that site and event as safe and secure as possible,'
Days said. 'We're not sure what we're going to get, but we're planning
for everything.'
"Downtown businesses were
also making adjustments. The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St.,
announced it will close Saturday due to the event.
"Trump's
Racine visit comes in the run-up to the state's presidential primary
Tuesday. Polls show the billionaire businessman trailing in the
Wisconsin primary to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, though Trump still has a
sizable advantage in overall delegates.
"Trump clearly isn't giving up on the
state. In addition to Racine, he's scheduled to be in Wausau and Eau
Claire on Saturday, West Allis on Sunday and La Crosse and Milwaukee on
Monday.
"With the Chicago Honor Students on a roll in 2016, per stats collected by HEY JACKASS!It’s become desperation time in Chicago.
"With Racine
Mayor John Dickert bringing all the graft and corruption of Chicago
politics to Detroit West, aka Racine, WI., it may be time for Mayor
Dickert to stop whining about not being able to annex any more territory
to Racine and instead get rid of the undesirable and failing areas
which don’t positively contribute to Racine’s revenue and are run down
ghettos comprised mainly of unemployed People of Color, crime, drugs,
and failing infrastructure. After all, how much more of this shit can
Racine take before it is forced to declare Bankruptcy or ask the
Governor for a bailout?"
Hello everyone I hope you all had a good week. For me the week went by to fast once again with trying to find something for my youngest daughter. Yes I am up early Drew had to be in work early today. Here are your questions for today.
1) Have you put something away then when you go to look for it and you can not find what you are looking for?
2) Do you have a favorite color and what color is it?
3) Have you ever played a joke on someone on April Fools Day?
4) Has someone else played a joke on you on April Fools Day?
"So you know if you take a family of four that earns about $75,000 a year - half the families in America earn more than that, half earn less, so that's the median - they pay about $4,500 or 6 percent of their income in income taxes. But most of them will pay as much or more in Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes that come directly out of their paychecks. " Now I earn below the median income but I am a family of one so that helps. However, I did my taxes already and paid over twice as much as this family in income taxes despite a lower income. I can read the tax forms so I have a pretty good idea of why...married couples than a single person and children are big tax writeoffs as well (not sure what was all counted...childcare expenses can be deductible but those can change a great deal depending on the age of the children and if both spouses are working or one parent stays home full time). Assuming most of this income is from wages and not investments, I would probably pay less in payroll taxes since those are a straight percentage of wages (up to a certain cutoff, but this is well below the cutoff so all these wages are subject to payroll taxes).
I know that some married couples end up paying more in income taxes than if they were single but others pay less...the legendary marriage penalty is not universal.
Anyway, just thought I would put this out there and see if anyone had any other thoughts on our income tax system.
Last week Tuesday Drew and I went up to Milwaukee and I found the very first wildflower coming up. Believe it or not but it did make it through all the cold and nasty weather last week. Here is the first wildflower picture.
This is a Azure Bluet and the picture was taken at Grant Park in South Milwaukee Wi.
I also wanted to let everyone know that some birds are starting to come back up here from down south. On Tuesday I was out looking for more wildflowers and I seen the Great Blue Herons in their nests by Nicholson Rd and 4Mile Rd. in Caledonia so I decided to take a picture of them. Here is the picture to share with everyone.
British
middleweight fighter Nick Blackwell, left, at the SSE Arena, Wembley,
March 26, 2016. Blackwell was placed into an induced coma after the
fight with Chris Eubank Jr, the son of Chris Eubank, right.Adam Holt/Action Images
"The ugly picture of boxer Nick Blackwell’s swollen eye jarred the conscience of a nation.
"In the name of sport a young man has suffered a serious brain bleed
and been placed in an induced coma. With good fortune he will make a
full recovery. But visible injuries and ring deaths are a small
manifestation of boxing’s avoidable damage to the lives of its
participants.
"Boxing
is unique, even above mixed martial arts, in encouraging blows to the
head. Football is another sport that allows damage to brain cells
through heading balls. A football player heads the ball multiple times
each game. A boxer can receive hundreds of blows to the head in a single
bout. It is similar to using a person's head as a football.
"The brain is suspended in the skull like a jelly in a box, held by
strings. A blow causes the brain to strike the walls of the skull. One
neurosurgeon has claimed that 80 per cent
of all boxers have brain scarring as a result of the cumulative effects
of blows. The British Medical Association has said that boxing should
be completely banned.
"If that happened the sport would go subterranean and the health
precautions of the legal activity would disappear. Boxing would revert
to its barbaric 19th century past. The Queensberry rules prohibited
blows below the waist. Armed with our present knowledge that boxers are
as vulnerable to blows above the neck as they are to blows below the
waist, I proposed a parliamentary bill to ban blows to the head as a
sensible first-step reform. It was intended to probe the mood of the
U.K. parliament and the country towards this issue. A favourable
response would have persuaded the government of the day to support the
bill or introduce a similar one of its own."
Hello, my winter weary pilgrims! How are you? Winter won't let go this spring. Please, Old Man Winter, please leave the building before we have to forcibly eject you. Why do you always make it so difficult? Do you take some sadistic joy out of it? Does our misery somehow make you happy? There are those who relish the suffering of others. Medication and therapy can help them immensely.
The latest forecast:
Oh my! Snow, rain, chilly temperatures; it just won't stop. This winter hasn't been so bad temperature-wise or storm-wise. but it doesn't know when to leave. Shoo, winter, shoo, shoo away! Tale a bow and leave the stage.
I am absolutely incensed by this story: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2016/03/racine-6th-district-alderwoman-sandy.html For the Journal Times to ignore a letter from an Alderman stating that she's been attacked through hate mail is unconscionable. This is one of the more obvious attempts by the Journal Times to influence our elections and government. "Freedom of the press," indeed. It's only "free" for those who can afford it.
And that's just on the local level. Imagine the corruption at state and national levels. As far as I'm concerned, all of the current candidates for president talk out of the wrong orifice. They'll say, they'll do, anything for a vote. A den of thieves overseeing another den of thieves overseeing another den of thievs. It's too bad, but it's true. Mt. President Harry Truman once said, "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference. I, for one, believe the piano player job to be much more honorable than current politicians." It's only gotten worse since then. Our country is the whorehouse and the politicians are screwing us all.
Well, maybe the revolution will begin next week. Meantime, thank you for taking the time to read my humble words. I love visitors and I love you.
Bundle up for the predicted cold. I don't know if some plants will need protection. It depends on how the weather develops. Let's hope that this is winter's last gasp.
"Racine police say an 18-year-old man is in custody on misdemeanor
resistance charges but officers think he might be connected to a series
of shots fired reports in various Racine neighborhoods. "Floyd Cooper, of Racine, was charged Tuesday in Racine County Circuit Court with one misdemeanor
count of resisting an officer. If convicted, he faces up to nine months
in jail and/or up to $10,000 in fines. Because he is considered a
repeat offender, Cooper could have extra time tacked on to any sentence
he might receive. "According to the criminal complaint, police at 1:52 p.m. Monday
received an officer safety alert for a rental vehicle driven by Cooper
seen in the vicinity of 20th and Mead Streets. Cooper does not have a
valid driver’s license, so he should not have been driving a rental car,
and because he was on probation – even with a valid license – he is not
allowed to rent cars. "Officers on patrol say they saw Cooper near 16th and Grove and
followed him north across Washington Avenue. In their report, police
state Cooper has been known to be armed and is believed to be connected
to several shots fired calls in the city. "After Cooper crossed Washington Avenue, police initiated a traffic
stop. After he pulled over, officers ordered him to turn the car off and
place his hands outside the vehicle, the complaint reads. Police
approached with guns drawn as a precaution but holstered their weapons
after they secured Cooper’s left hand. He was ordered to release his
seat belt and to exit the car. "Police say there was a juvenile passenger in the car and that Cooper
resisted and had to be assisted out of the car. He was taken into
custody without further incident and transported to the Racine County
Jail where he remains on a $300 cash bond.
"Cooper will next be in court April 28 for his pre-trial conference."
"Racine Police and Racine Fire Department were called to Starbucks
located at 2805 S. Green Bay Road earlier earlier this afternoon for an
accident. According to radio reports when first responders were
dispatched, a vehicle had struck another vehicle, hit a pedestrian and
hit the building. Mount Pleasant Police also arrived on scene. Radio
reports that no one suffered serious injuries, there is damage to the
building and witnesses report that the store is closed at this time"
Yup, I definitely don't want to be around when the next generation takes over.
Edit: don't let the "graphic images" warning scare you away. Look at the lower right corner of the above still. USA Today is not going to broadcasr bloodbaths. Although there is some red, which I assume to be blood, it's like 3 split-seconds. You can't really tell what is happening other than the victim's yell about his leg.
"INFORMATION IS BEING SOUGHT ON WHO SENT OUT THE FRAUDULENT LETTERS AHEAD OF THE UPCOMING ELECTION.
"IF
YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHO SENT THE BOGUS LETTERS TO RACINE
RESIDENTS PLEASE CONTACT CITYOF RACINE ALDERWOMAN SANDY WEIDNER OR
RACINE COMMUNITY MEDIA WITH ANY INFORMATION
"Alderwoman Weidner’s
letter was originally sent to the Journal Times for publishing and was
never published by the Journal Times."
The fact that the Journal Times would not print a letter from an Alderman just fries my shit. Thank God Mark Lewis and lying John don't have a relationship.
"MOUNT PLEASANT — The
Mount Pleasant Village Board may vote on a resolution tonight opposing a
roundabout at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Durand Avenue.
"The state Department of Transportation is evaluating whether to put a roundabout
or new traffic signals at the intersection as part of a reconstruction
of Durand Avenue (Highway 11), from Kearney Avenue to Highway 32.
"A resolution in front of the board
supports 'maintaining a traditional-style intersection with automatic
signal lights,' according to a meeting agenda. Other resolutions related
to the project call for maintaining vehicular access to Durand Avenue
from Capital Drive and a reduced median on Durand allowing large trucks
to drive over it if necessary.
"The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive.
"The DOT's preliminary plans for
Durand Avenue also include new pavement, storm sewer repair, bicycle
accommodations, improved pedestrian accommodations, new sidewalk on the
south side of the road and new street lighting.
"Construction is tentatively set for 2020, at the earliest."
"Why is this community so provincial and anti- roundabout?
Why not trust the traffic and highway professionals? These reduce
accidents. Does the village board know more than DOT professionals?"
Mark Hertzberg
Mr. Hertzberg, of course, is a retired photographer from the Journal Times. In fact, I think he may have headed the photography department when he retired. I've always admired Mr. Hertzberg's photographic talents, if not his opinions. I believe that he cares deeply for Racine.
"It’s that time again! Free advertising for local area businesses.
Small business? Home based business? Nonprofit? Local business? the sky
is the limit. Send an email to crime@racineuncovered by March 31st
letting us know about your business!
"NO STRINGS, NO SALES GIMMICKS, WE ARE JUST SHARING YOUR BUSINESS FREE
OF CHARGE! We are going to be giving 3 months of free promotions (full
color 300×250 pixel or sitewide ads) "What do you need to do? EMAIL US at crime@racineuncovered.org
and let us know about your business and how your business could use a
boost! (deadline to email us is March 31st) If you dont have media ads available, we will help you design one! "Our stats -February 2016 were
Unique readers: 92,000 local area readers
Number of visits: over 400,000 visits
Pages read: over 1.2 million pages
Hits: over 9.4 million hits "Over 27,500 LIKES on Racine Uncovered News FACEBOOK page"
"RACINE — In the wake
of delivery driver James Norris’ death in a Friday night shooting, a
Racine woman with ties to his family has started a GoFundMe page to
raise money for the family.
"Corey
Durik, 28, leads a Girl Scout troop that includes one of Norris’
daughters, Samantha. Norris, 37, was shot and killed Friday night in the
3900 block of Green Street while making a food delivery.
"Durik’s sister Jamie spoke with Samantha’s mother on Saturday, and that inspired Corey to create the GoFundMe.
"'I don’t believe they have insurance, so they’re going to need help with the funeral,' Corey Durik said.
"Corey Durik pledged to give all of the money the campaign raises to Norris’ family to use in whatever way they see fit.
"Corey
said that while she didn’t know Norris extremely well, she knew him to
be a giving person: He once fixed Jamie Durik’s car for free.
"'He offered to fix it for free to help get her by,' Corey said. 'He’s helped other people out like that, too.'
"Jamie,
whose daughter is also in Corey’s troop and is close friends with
Norris’ daughter, agreed with Corey’s assessment of Norris and
emphasized his love for his children.
"'Those kids were his world,' Jamie said. 'He would give the shirt off his back just so they would have something to put on.'
"And it’s because of Norris’ children that Jamie thinks people should donate as much as they can.
"'Whether
it’s to help with the family or the funeral arrangements, at least you
donate to the kids,' she said.
"'A mother (has) to raise four kids by
herself, at least give her a little extra help.'"
"RACINE — With
potential future building purchases and renovations in mind, the Racine
Unified School Board recently approved the district borrowing up to $20
million in general obligation bonds.
"The
resolution, approved by the board in a 6-3 vote on March 22, doesn’t
approve any spending per se, nor does it allow the district to take out
any money without further board action, but it will allow the district
to move more quickly in buying property in the future, such as the
Sturtevant Sportsplex, explained Unified Chief Operations Officer Dave
Hazen.
"Despite skepticism from
several board members, Hazen repeatedly and indignantly insisted to
doubters that the board would have to approve every project paid for
with this borrowing authority.
"'This is not borrowing money,' Hazen
said emphatically in an interview after the meeting, speaking of the
board’s action Monday night. 'This is only getting the ability, the
legal ability … it’s getting the authority, so if future projects have
merit and the board chooses that they have merit, then there’s a method
to pay for them.'
"He likened the resolution to getting pre-approval to take out a loan from the bank.
Potential uses
"Hazen
said the district has no set plan for the bonds, but said the money
could be used for a number of tentative projects, including the purchase
of the Sturtevant Sportsplex, 10116 Stellar Ave., which the district
has a tentative agreement to buy for $5.2 million, pending board
approval.
"Other potential uses
for the borrowing authority could be an upcoming $7 million overhaul of
the Jerstad-Agerholm schools’ heating, ventilating and air conditioning
system, a new pool at Case High School and renovations to the Sturtevant
Sportsplex if the board approves buying it.
"Funds
used to repay the debt will depend on the type of project, but Hazen
said property purchases or 2014 referendum-related projects would not
increase taxes. He reiterated that referendum funds would not be used to
pay off debt on the potential purchase of the Sportsplex.
"However, the board has
ability to raise the tax levy to pay for projects done as energy savings
performance contracts, such as the Jerstad-Agerholm project, Hazen
said.
"The borrowing authority would expire after five years, Hazen said.
Board Reservations
"Several board members voiced
misgivings about approving the debt without a concrete plan of what the
money would be used for, especially with the knowledge that this funding
might be used to purchase the Sportsplex.
"'I’m
kind of disappointed that that we’re going to be asking the public for
the ability to borrow $20 million and not be able to supply any
specifics as to how, where and when this money is going to be used,”
said board member Dennis Wiser, later adding that he’d like a plan for
how the money would be used if specific projects, like the Sportsplex,
don’t come together.
"Board
members Don Nielsen and Mike Frontier expressed similar concerns and
joined Wiser in voting against the resolution on March 22.
"Hazen
repeatedly noted that the district would bring more specific plans of
how to use the money before each proposed use of the borrowing authority
— and the board would have to approve both the project and financing
the project through the bonds.
"Without
the bonding authority, Hazen said, the district likely wouldn’t be able
to quickly collect the money necessary for property purchases.
A
report released in 2015 by the Governors Highway Safety Association
found an increase in pedestrian fatalities, and cited texting while
walking as partly to blame.
"Here is another reason to take a break
from texting or talking on your smartphone while walking in New Jersey: a
possible $50 fine.
"A bill proposed this week by Assemblywoman Pamela R. Lampitt (D.,
Camden) would impose a fine of up to $50 and possibly 15 days in jail
for pedestrians caught using their cellphones without hands-free devices
while walking on public sidewalks and along roadways.
"If the bill becomes law, 'petextrians' - people who text while
walking - would face the same penalties as jaywalkers in New Jersey.
"'I see it every single day,' Lampitt said Friday. 'Maybe they will think twice about it.'
"A report released in 2015 by the Governors Highway Safety Association
found an increase in pedestrian fatalities, and cited texting while
walking as partly to blame.
"Since 2009, pedestrian fatalities have increased by 15 percent to
4,735 in 2013, the report said. Nearly two million pedestrian injuries
were related to cellphone use, the report said.
"Another study, from Safe Kids Worldwide, a Washington-based
nonprofit, found that 40 percent of teens said they had been hit or
nearly hit by a car, bike, or motorcycle while walking.
"The survey of more than 1,000 children between ages 13 and 18 found
that 47 percent of those who said they were hit or almost hit were
listening to music, 20 percent were talking on the phone, and 18 percent
were texting, researchers said.
My parents came from "the old country." No circumcision. My dad told me that during the Nazi occupation of his homeland, if you were circumcised and the Nazis spotted it, you were assumed to be a Jew and sent off to a concentration camp. Now that's a damn good reason not to get circumcised. Or, if you are, don't use public restrooms where prying eyes lurk.
Then-Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul and his wife Kelley
Ashby walk outside the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland before an August
debate. (Photo: Andrew Harnik, AP)
"Donald Trump says he wants to study a petition that calls for allowing the open carry of guns at the Republican convention this July in Cleveland.
"While proclaiming himself "' very, very strong person for Second Amendment,' the Republican front-runner told ABC's This Week that 'I have not seen the petition. I want to see what it says. I want to read the fine print.'
"Posted on the website change.org,
the petition of unknown origin notes that 'though Ohio is an open carry
state, which allows for the open carry of guns, the hosting venue
-- the Quicken Loans Arena -- strictly forbids the carry of firearms on their premises.'
"That 'is a direct affront to the Second Amendment and puts all attendees at
risk,' said the petition that has more than 34,000 signers.
"The other Republican presidential candidates -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- have not commented on the open carry petition.
"The
name of the group purportedly behind the effort — Americans for
Responsible Open Carry — does not appear anywhere else online and
accepts online message only from networked supporters, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.
"The Ohio Republican Party said it was not aware of the petition, the Journal reported,
nor was the host committee overseeing the convention, although it noted
that the Secret Service, in conjunction with Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and state and federal authorities, is handling security for the event.
"'They
are coordinating and will be continuously refining security plans
leading up to the national convention,' said Alee Lockman, a
spokesperson for the Republican National Convention, the Journal says.
"In 2012, firearms were banned by the Secret Service at the Republican convention in Tampa.
"Temperatures this coming week will definitely feel like spring with
highs predicted to reach into the low 60s for at least a couple of days,
but then watch out. A blast of frigid is headed our way that
could plunge daytime highs into the 20s. "Meteorologists with CBS 58 News on their weather blog say two different computer models show a trough of cold air sinking down over Southeast Wisconsin. "'(Cold air comes) directly from the Arctic, and it’s forecast to
head straight for Wisconsin. This type of air will modify some as it
arrives, but it will send highs 20 degrees below average!' the blog
reads. "The cold is expected to arrive next weekend, most likely Saturday
into Sunday, which could make the Milwaukee Brewers April 4 opening day
pretty chilly.
"'Right now it appears the coldest days will be next Saturday into
Sunday!' the post continues. 'Some flurries or light snow will arrive
with the arctic front on Saturday. Highs could only be in the 20s if
this plays out.'"
"On March 17th we had gotten word that a caring Racine man was at
Kmart on 21st and Green Bay Road buying Easter baskets for children who
may otherwise not get one. We were contacted by a person who was so
moved by what David Ozier was doing we put them in touch with each
other. David went back again the next day and purchased 3 cart fulls of
baskets (with the help of 'Tom').
"Today we were able to see the smiles, laughter and joy this afternoon
when David passed the baskets out to children at the Salvation Army on
Washington Ave. Please enjoy these pictures from today! When we talked
with David and asked him why he did this, he stated when he walked into
Kmart that day he saw those baskets and knew that many children would go
without and wanted to give back to the community. This shows the GREAT
of the people and the positive. "We also had the opportunity to visit with his nephew Koreem Ozier. He
is a student at Case High School who is a medal and trophy winning
basketball player. We spoke about the good in the community, the
positive, being a great role model and giving back. On a personal note.
Koreem you are a great example of our youth, I was very impressed with
you and your uncle. Koreem you and your uncle show what the community
CAN DO and GETS DONE! Much respect to all of you involved and a special
thank you to everyone at the Salvation Army on Washington that opened
their doors up today to allow this to happen!"
"With live streams from two nests, viewers will get more chances to see eggs hatch."
Orlan Love The Gazette Mar 25, 2016 at 1:47 pm
"With online access to two Winneshiek County nests, fans of the
Decorah eagles will have twice the opportunity this year to observe the
heartwarming family ties of their favorite birds. "It remains to be seen if the second nest, known as Decorah North,
will attain the popularity of the original, which became an Internet
phenomenon and the most viewed live-stream of all time with 250 million
views in 2011. "'We will certainly get a feeling for that as the season goes on,'
said John Howe, director of the Raptor Resource Project, which
established the first nest cam, near the Decorah hatchery, and operates
the second in partnership with Explore.org. "How that plays out is of no concern to Charlie Annenberg Weingarten,
founder and director of Explore, which operates more than 100 live
wildlife cams. "'I have no tricks up my sleeve. I don’t go by any metrics. It’s not a popularity contest,' he said. "Howe said the Decorah North eagles are about three weeks behind the
hatchery eagles in their reproductive cycle. Mom, the Decorah hatchery
female, laid the last of her three eggs on Feb. 25. Mom North laid her
third egg of this season on March 18. "Given that incubation takes about 35 days, the original Decorah
eagles can expect the hatching of their first chick sometime late next
week, while the Decorah North pair’s first arrival likely will not occur
until April 22 or later. "'Hatching is one of the viewership peaks, so fans will get to see that play out over an extended period this year,' Howe said." Read more: http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/for-decorah-eagles-fans-two-nest-cameras-are-twice-as-nice-20160325
I clicked on the original Decorah eagle cam this morning on the sidebar and one eagle was sitting on the eggs in the nest. As I watched, a second eagle appeared. The first eagle took off and the second eagle took its place on the eggs. I assume they take turns so they each can go out for food.
"This is a documentary based on the corruption inside of the Justice system of Racine Wisconsin. This documentary shines the light on the Corruption of Attorney Mark Nielsen, Judge Jude, DA Patricia Hanson, Judge Gaskiorkiewicz, The Racine Sheriff Department and more....
BEFORE YOU VOTE! YOU MUST SEE!!!"
Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxGRCeKRa1s
