Saturday, July 18, 2020
City of Monona Official Statement - Mayor, Mary O'Connor
Whitey don't like it when a black man lives next door in a 94% white suburb.
Dead Bicyclists, Slashed Tires, and Burning Vans Consume City of Racine
From Racine WI - Sin City:
Dear City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason, Spokesperson Shannon Powell, and Alderpersons,
What I personally witnessed on 7/16/20 in Uptown Racine is very disturbing.
Between Junction Avenue and Memorial Drive was a pattern of destruction which could only be accomplished by a gang bent on destructive activities – to wit:
A vehicle – Black Jeep, with all 4 tires slashed behind the Timers Liquor store which also recently had a window smashed and was looted. Going North a block, I witnessed 4 vehicles in the parking lot behind Corner House with one tire each slashed. On 17th street, I witnessed yet another vehicle with a tire slashed. The Racine County Eye carried this story:
RACINE, WI – No one was injured in a van fire intentionally set at 4:22 a.m. Thursday in “an alley in the 1500 block between South Memorial Drive and Owen Avenue.
Firefighters with the Racine Fire Department responded to a passenger van on fire, according to a press release by the department.
Officials say the estimated loss totals $1,000”.
Van fire set intentional, officials say
I spoke with a local Resident on Junction Avenue – only to discover that his Honda had been broken into and ransacked!
Now we have a dead bicyclist found in Pritchard Park!
“RACINE — The Racine County Sheriff’s Office and Racine County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating the Thursday afternoon discovery of a dead male at Pritchard Park, 2800 Ohio St. in Racine.
The 79-acre park facility is owned and operated by Racine County.
Racine paramedics were dispatched to the scene at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. First responders requested the Medical Examiner’s Office respond to the scene.
Racine County Public Works employee Owen Young found the body while mowing near the playground area by the Wieczorek Pavilion at Pritchard Park, near the pond at the corner of Ohio Street and 21st Street.
“I was mowing the area near the playground and I looked forward and seen a guy with a black sweatshirt on and a bag and bike,” Young told The Journal Times. “I called my boss after that. My supervisor called 911 and rescue showed up and came over here and then the deputies showed up.”
The discovery was a jarring experience for Young.
“With the whole scene with the guy and stuff it kinda made my heart drop, tears in my eyes, because I’ve never seen that stuff before” Young said”.
I note that in Chiraq Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Democrat Paradise: (click on image below to enlarge)
As I mentioned earlier – City of Racine has become an out of control City ruled by violence, death and destruction. Mayor Cory Mason and his entire Staff must resign, Municipal Judge Robert Weber and City Attorney Scott Letteney must be fired, and the threats, violence and property destruction needs to end.
Sincerely,
Tim & Cindy
City of Ratcine – Exit 333 straight to 666
Mason mulls city mask mandate; Delagrave says there are no plans for county requirement
From The Journal Times.com:
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Racine Mayor Cory Mason wore a face mask on Friday as he volunteered at the Racine County COVID Care Package Distribution event at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Ave. in Racine. Mason told The Journal Times that the city if exploring the idea of possibly instituting a mask ordinance.
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RACINE — On Friday, Racine Mayor Cory Mason shared on his Facebook page a July 15 newspaper report on cities and counties in Wisconsin that have issued policies requiring people to wear masks in public, in an effort to combat the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
He posed the question: “Cases continue to climb in Racine. Is it time for Racine to adopt a mask ordinance?”
Only 4 hours after Mason posted, 44 Facebook users had commented, with most supporting the idea. As of his Facebook Live address on Friday afternoon, Mason said it is something the city is still weighing but no decision has been made.
Meanwhile, Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave has decided that a countywide mask requirement would not be feasible or enforceable.
The little dictator poses for another photo op as he ponders more orders for the proletarians. Party on, Butterball!
Ultra-black nightmare fish reveal secrets of deep-ocean camouflage
They're the goths of the deep, like Vantablack with fins.
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A deep-sea dragonfish has ultra-black skin capable of absorbing bioluminescent light. It also has great teeth.
Karen Osborn, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History |
Goths know black is cool. Some scary-looking fish swimming the ocean depths know it too. Researchers are unlocking the deep, dark secrets of blacker-than-black fish that have developed special skin characteristics to help them hide from predators that use bioluminescence to hunt.
The team of researchers, including lead author Alexander Davis, a doctoral student in biology at Duke University, published a study on the ultra-black fish in the journal Current Biology (PDF) on Thursday. They identified at least 16 species of deep-sea-dwelling fish with skin that absorbs over 99.5% percent of light. It's the ultimate camouflage for the inky depths of the ocean.
SpaceX set to bring NASA astronauts back to Earth on August 2nd
The joint SpaceX-NASA historic mission which brought human spaceflight back to U.S. soil after nearly a decade is set to return from Earth orbit on August 1, 2020, per NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine’s announcement Friday afternoon. Capsule splashdown is scheduled for August 2nd.
The mission’s return will mark a long-duration stay in space of just over two months for American astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. After launching aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on May 30th, the crew arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) several hours later and docked their Dragon Endeavour capsule to the orbiting habitat.
The mission will represent a huge success for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) which provided funding and guided the developments involving the Dragon capsule. NASA is further expected to certify the craft to regularly carry humans to and from the ISS.
Google Just Gave Millions Of Users A Reason To Keep Gmail
Gmail users have every right to feel frustrated right now. In recent weeks, Gmail has had problems with Windows and suffered a serious spam filter flaw which sent potentially malicious emails straight to users’ inboxes. But now Google has announced a massive overhaul of the service which should convince potential deserters to stay
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In an official blog post, Google has announced the most radical redesign of Gmail in its 16 year history. In a transformative move, Google has integrated messaging, video chat, shared file access, virtual meeting rooms, real-time collaboration and more directly into Gmail, turning it into an all-in-one productivity suite. Gmail now stands apart from any rival email service.
07/18 Update: I have been tipped off that the delay for everyday Gmail users to receive all these new features is likely to be longer than expected. While the new service is rolling out for G Suite subscribers, I understand that while Google may drip feed aspects of this overhaul to regular consumers, they are unlikely to see a full redesign before 2021 at the earliest. Google is prioritizing businesses with these upgrades, which is understandable. That said, the global Coronavirus pandemic has forced an unprecedented amount of home working for businesses big and small, as well as the self employed who may not be G Suite users, so hopes were high that the changes would be reflected for all Gmail users sooner rather than later. Needless to say, road maps can change but this looks set to be a long wait.
U.S. execs score bonuses just before bankruptcy
Pigs run the country. They oink along and we tolerate them. FUCK da pigs!
Racine honors teachers with Encore Awards: ‘Just a little something to say thank you’
From Fox6Now:
So this year, the plaque, a quick photo, and a new district cooler serve as a reminder that no matter what, there is always room to celebrate.
RACINE — Normally at the end of Teacher Appreciation Week in May, the Racine Unified School District honors its Encore Award winner — given to those that excel at their jobs. This year’s celebration may not be what is normal. But it was a small token of appreciation that goes a long way.
Emily DeBaker
“Just a little something to say thank you for everything that they’ve done for the year and to congratulate them on their award,” said Emily DeBaker of the Racine Unified School District.
Encore Award winners paraded on Wednesday, July 15 — not down Main Street, but into the parking lot. It was all in recognition of their work to go above and beyond their everyday duties.
Among those honored was Valerie Freeman, robotics, manufacturing, and engineering teacher at Park High School. She was honored for her work teaching hands-on subjects from behind a screen.
“I think it’s about hope, you know, and letting the teachers know that even though we’re in a pandemic, and things are strange and unprecedented, that we still need to acknowledge the teachers because we don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward,” Freeman said.
So this year, the plaque, a quick photo, and a new district cooler serve as a reminder that no matter what, there is always room to celebrate.
“In March, all of us had to immediately change our daily routines and do things that we’ve never done before. And so, we kinda figured there’s no better way to say thank you to, especially our Encore Award winners than to hold some type of celebration for them,” DeBaker said.
This is the ninth year Racine Unified has given out the Encore Awards. Around 80 employees were chosen as winners this year.
Israel returns to partial lockdown with immediate weekend shutdown
Government unveils measures after marathon emergency cabinet session as infections rise
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| Israelis wearing face masks at a market in Tel Aviv. Daily infection rates have climbed to close to 2,000. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock |
Israel has reimposed some lockdown measures following a vigorous second surge in the number of coronavirus infections, putting in place stringent weekend shutdowns in which shops, hairdressers and attractions will be closed.
The government announced the measures in the early hours of Friday morning, following a marathon emergency cabinet session called after daily infection rates climbed to close to 2,000.
Gyms and fitness studios will also be closed at all times, while restaurants, which opened again in May, will return to takeaways and deliveries only. All indoor gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned
Oak Creek man pleads guilty to Racine synagogue vandalism as part of neo-Nazi group's plot to target Jewish population
From JSOnline:
An Oak Creek man on Friday pleaded guilty to federal charges and admitted he vandalized a Racine synagogue to support a neo-Nazi hate group.
Yousef O. Barasneh spray-painted swastikas and anti-Semitic words on Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine last September and plotted other acts of vandalism against minority residents with the white supremacist group "The Base," according to a plea agreement.
Barasneh admitted in the agreement that he talked on online message platforms with other members of The Base about "acts of violence against Jewish Americans and non-white Americans, Base military training camps, and ways to make improvised explosive devices."
Milwaukee schools are not allowed to reopen under current COVID-19 conditions, though some were planning to
From JSOnline:
iMlwaukee schools and universities that have been planning to offer face-to-face instruction this fall may need to shift gears after the city Health Department quietly enacted stricter guidelines for when in-person classes may resume.
While Milwaukee Public Schools has opted to start the school year online, Marquette University, UWM and many of the city's private and independent charter schools had been working under the assumption they could reopen with precautions, based on the city's Moving MKE Forward Safely plan posted on the health department's website.
An earlier version of that plan showed that schools and universities could reopen during Phase 4. But that document appears to have been updated on June 25 — the day before the city moved into Phase 4, where it stands now.
Former Burlington High student sentenced to probation for sex assault last year at school
From The Journal Times.com:
Caitlin Sievers
Caitlin Sievers
RACINE — An 18-year-old former Burlington High School student was sentenced to one year of probation and community service Friday for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in a stairwell at the school last year.
Gavin Moore pleaded no contest on Friday to one count of fourth-degree sexual assault and Racine County Circuit Court Judge Faye Flancher found him guilty.
Flancher sentenced him to a stayed nine months in jail and one year of probation, meaning that he will only serve jail time if he violates probation.
Probation assures that he will grow up to be an adult sex offender. Racine loves its sex criminals.
Surges in cop retirements reported in Milwaukee, New York, but not in Racine County
From The Journal Times.com:
Adam Rogan
RACINE COUNTY — The Milwaukee and New York police departments have both reported surges in early retirements and resignations in recent weeks, with department leaders citing growing anti-police resentment as one of the factors driving officers away from the force. No such surges have been reported in four of Racine County’s largest law enforcement forces.
Since the beginning of the year, zero retirements or resignations have been reported by the Racine County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Pleasant Police Department, according to Sheriff Christopher Schmaling and MPPD Police Chief Matt Soens.
Burlington Police Chief Mark Anderson said that between May 25 (the date of Floyd’s death) and June 29, there were zero retirements or resignations from the Burlington Police Department
In mid-June, Schmaling said that zero deputies had called in sick amid the unrest and coronavirus pandemic, when many public safety agencies locally and nationwide had felt their capabilities being stretched.
The Racine Police Department, with about 190 sworn officers, has seen three officers leave the department since the beginning of the year and only two since February; a fourth officer is expected to retire before the end of the month, according to department spokesman Sgt. Chad Melby, who said in a July 8 email “I can’t speak to specific reasons why officers left or retired.”
On July 9, Racine Police Chief Art Howell announced he plans to retire by the end of 2020.
Read more: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/surges-in-cop-retirements-reported-in-milwaukee-new-york-but-not-in-racine-county/article_587850f0-c8f2-5757-bc55-68d2fe09f237.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1
Adam Rogan
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| Schmaling |
Since the beginning of the year, zero retirements or resignations have been reported by the Racine County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Pleasant Police Department, according to Sheriff Christopher Schmaling and MPPD Police Chief Matt Soens.
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| Soens |
Burlington Police Chief Mark Anderson said that between May 25 (the date of Floyd’s death) and June 29, there were zero retirements or resignations from the Burlington Police Department
In mid-June, Schmaling said that zero deputies had called in sick amid the unrest and coronavirus pandemic, when many public safety agencies locally and nationwide had felt their capabilities being stretched.
The Racine Police Department, with about 190 sworn officers, has seen three officers leave the department since the beginning of the year and only two since February; a fourth officer is expected to retire before the end of the month, according to department spokesman Sgt. Chad Melby, who said in a July 8 email “I can’t speak to specific reasons why officers left or retired.”
On July 9, Racine Police Chief Art Howell announced he plans to retire by the end of 2020.
Read more: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/surges-in-cop-retirements-reported-in-milwaukee-new-york-but-not-in-racine-county/article_587850f0-c8f2-5757-bc55-68d2fe09f237.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1
Friday, July 17, 2020
Millions of Wisconsin residents use the postal service for packages and to vote. New changes could slow down delivery.
From JSOnline:
MALONE - Sara Sippel pulled up to the tiny post office surrounded by verdant fields of soybeans and dropped off an envelope.
She was having trouble filing her taxes online and when she realized she couldn't, Sippel knew there was an alternative: mailing it.
"To be honest I don't use the post office all that much, but I need it today," Sippel said Tuesday in the Fond du Lac County community of Malone. "Had it not been for this post office, I'd have had to drive all the way to Fond du Lac."
She visited her local post office a day after a memo circulated among postal employees throughout the United States outlining changes that could slow down mail delivery.
Sippel, like many Americans, didn't know the post office is facing financial difficulties. What Sippel does know, she said, is how important it is to get packages delivered to her home, where sometimes the letter carrier brings them to the door because he knows she has small children.
Letter carriers also sometimes make multiple daily trips to distribution centers, where mail is sorted, to pick up additional mail and ensure it's delivered quickly. But as first reported Tuesday in The Washington Post, employees were told Monday that they should leave mail behind in the distribution centers if it will delay carrier routes.
This is as the post office has been a vital lifeline during the pandemic, delivering medicine, toilet paper, food and other items.
The agency has also become an even more important part of elections, with many Americans choosing to vote by mail rather than risking infection by standing in line at polling places. More than 1.1 million Wisconsinites voted by absentee ballots during the April primary.
With coronavirus cases and deaths spiking again, the November presidential election could see unprecedented numbers of mailed-in ballots.
City Launches RENTS Website and Extends Property Registration through September 8th
From Racine County Eye:
City of Racine – The City of Racine RENTS Initiative has now launched a website with resources for tenants and landlords. The website also allows landlords and commercial property owners to register their properties and pay the associated fees online. The website is https://www.cityofracine.org/rents
“The RENTS Initiative is a massive undertaking and represents the most robust package of housing reforms Racine has seen in a generation. Our goals are to improve housing throughout the City, better protect tenants, and hold property owners responsible for the conditions of their properties. The launch of the RENTS website creates a central location for both renters and rental and commercial property owners to find resources, comply with these new ordinances, register their properties, and for tenants to be able to request help without the fear of retaliation,” said Mayor Cory Mason.
As a reminder, property owners of rental and commercial property must register their properties with the City, as required by the RENTS ordinance. The initial timeline required properties to be registered by August 1, 2020, however that deadline has been moved back to September 8, 2020. If registration and payment is received by September 8th, no penalties will be assessed.
- Rental property registration is $10 per property
- Commercial property registration is $25 per property
All property owners who register online will receive coupon codes allowing them to recycle three appliances for free at the City’s Pearl Street facility – one non-freon appliance, one freon appliance, and one microwave (a total value of $50 in free appliance disposal). Coupons are only available to property owners who register their rental or commercial properties online.
The RENTS website also contains the ability for banks and other mortgage servicers to register properties that are facing mortgage foreclosure, as required by the RENTS ordinance. Prochamps Bank Registration is the vendor that is assisting with the bank foreclosure registration and can be found through the RENTS website or directly at the following web address: https://community.prochamps.com/WI/racine/racine-city
The RENTS website will be updated regularly with more resources for tenants and landlords. Certain aspects of the RENTS initiative, such as the rental inspection process, are currently on hold due to COVID-19 to protect the health of both City staff and the residents of the City. Additional information will be made available as soon as possible.
The RENTS website also contains the ability for banks and other mortgage servicers to register properties that are facing mortgage foreclosure, as required by the RENTS ordinance. Prochamps Bank Registration is the vendor that is assisting with the bank foreclosure registration and can be found through the RENTS website or directly at the following web address: https://community.prochamps.com/WI/racine/racine-city
The RENTS website will be updated regularly with more resources for tenants and landlords. Certain aspects of the RENTS initiative, such as the rental inspection process, are currently on hold due to COVID-19 to protect the health of both City staff and the residents of the City. Additional information will be made available as soon as possible.
Next few weeks are critical: Racine health officials ask residents to prevent COVID spread
From Fox6Now:
RACINE — Once a “hot spot” both state and nationwide, Racine has flattened its own COVID-19 curve over the last few weeks. But the next few weeks are critical, experts say. Between new data following the Fourth of July holiday and looser restrictions.
For the first time in a few weeks — the National Guard is back outside Festival Hall, testing more than a thousand people this week for COVID-19. All in anticipation…
“And it’s… it’s just wait and see…”
While the rate of positive tests has flattened, which health officials attribute to the “Safer Racine” limits in place, they say now is not the time to ease up on social distancing, wearing a mask and doing your part to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Dottie-Kay Bowersox
“Just because we’re not seeing those spikes that we just saw just 6-8 weeks ago — it was not that long ago — it can happen again,” Racine Health Administrator Dottie-Kay Bowersox said.
And for Racine in particular, the few weeks following holidays have posed problematic.
First, a jump in cases and then…
“We saw an increase in our emergency room visits and our hospitalizations, and it’s exactly those dates, after Easter, after Mother’s Day, after the first warm day that we had.”
Ascension All Saints President Kristin McManmon says not having the traditional Fourth Fest parade which draws a hundred thousand people likely helped reduce a potential spike.
Kristin McManmon
But still, those on the front lines are watching closely and asking for vigilance.
“If there’s any other opportunity we have to reduce the likelihood of spread and have even just one more person not have to be hospitalized to this and face the detriment associated with this disease, we want to see that happen,” McManmon said.
Both health officials say these next few weeks are critical. The data will show just how well the current restrictions are in place, especially with a return to school just a month-and-a-half away.