Saturday, June 26, 2021
Milwaukee officials welcome Pres. Biden's approach to use ARPA funds to address violent crimes
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention is encouraged by President Joe Biden's announcement asking cities to use federal Covid-19 relief funding to address an uptick in violent crimes.
This year is on pace to be one of the most violent years in Milwaukee's history with officials stressing more guns appear to be a factor in escalating incidents.
On Wednesday, June 23, President Biden laid out his crime prevention strategies to address a rise in gun violence and emphasized state and local officials seeing surges to use Covid-19 relief funding to hire more police officers and direct aid to violence prevention programs.
Arnitta Holliman, director of Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention (OVP), said that money "absolutely needs to be allocated to prevent violence."
"We are in a state of crisis," said Holliman. "It's an all hands on deck approach and we are confident the mayor will put funds towards violence prevention and healing."
In May, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett committed to using a portion of the city's coronavirus relief aid toward violence prevention, estimating of $8.5 million over the next years, $90 million for sustainable housing, and $40 million for neighborhood safety. This funding is not finalized yet, but Barrett floated the idea as part of a package to address racial inequalities with a focus on marginalized communities.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers also voiced support for Biden's approach but believes the local governments should make those decisions instead of using state coronavirus relief aid on violence prevention efforts.
"I am more inclined to spend any relief funds on the industries most impact by the pandemic," said Evers during an event announcing grants for the tourism and entertainment industry.
"If there are industries where we can make a dent in that arena, yes, but I think local are more in a position to make that decision."
You think YOU can conspiracy
This latest hypothesis is a humdinger, to be sure:
What made these alarm bells go off inside of me was because while I was reading Friedman’s warning about these “gathering volcanic forces”, I received an urgent message about a NOTAM (Notice To Airmen) alert placing temporary flight restrictions around Gulkana-Alaska where the HAARP (short for High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program).facility is located, and which reads:
FDC 1/6022 ZAN AK..AIRSPACE GULKANA, AK..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 2.5NM RADIUS OF 622333N1450902W (GKN007016.6) SFC-FL250 FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION FR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.137 (A)(1) TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT. TRANSIT THRU THE AIRSPACE MAY BE AUTH BY HAARP COMMAND CENTER, TEL 907-822-5497 OR FREQ 123.3. ANCHORAGE /ZAN/ ARTCC TEL 907-269-1103 IS THE FAA CDN FACILITY. DLY 0400-1730 2106210400-2106251730
What makes this NOTAM so alarming is that the US Air Force notified the US Congress it was shutting HAARP down in 2014—was a shutdown preceded by the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez declaring that HAARP was a tectonic weapon used to cause the catastrophic earthquake that destroyed Haiti—an accusation that was followed by President Chavez announcing he had cancer, and saw him dying of this disease on 5 March 2013.
With this NOTAM for HAARP being in force from 21-25 June, and based on my knowledge of what this facility is capable of, I can honestly tell you I wasn’t surprised this morning when I received another urgent message about a small seismic event that occurred in Miami-Florida—an urgent message that was followed by news reports saying that at about 1:20 a.m this early morning in Miami, witnesses reported “suddenly hearing what sounded like a tornado or earthquake”—reports that were soon followed by the news that a luxury multi-story at 8777 Collins Avenue had collapsed—and is a building one block away from where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are leasing a condominium.
Forget whether it's even possible or not. Using a tectonic weapon as an assassination tool strikes me as overkill. Then again, if they've got accuracy to within one block, the deniability is highly plausible. We do seem to have entered an even higher level of weirdness of late, though, so who knows. At this point, I'm reading the news like an SF novel.
From: http://voxday.blogspot.com/2021/06/you-think-you-can-conspiracy.html
Friday, June 25, 2021
Parts of Sydney going into lockdown as virus outbreak grows
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| People queue in their cars to get tested for COVID-19 at a pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney Friday, June 25, 2021. Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday after a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP) |
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday as a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow.
Health authorities reported an additional 22 locally transmitted cases and imposed a weeklong lockdown in four areas, saying people could leave their homes only for essential purposes.
The outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant was first detected last week, and 65 people have been infected.
“If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,” said Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales state.
She said the lockdown, which was due to go into effect just before midnight, would have a significant impact on businesses, especially in the central business district of the city of more than 5 million people.
“This is in order for us to ensure that this doesn’t take a hold for weeks and weeks, and we believe this is a proportionate response to the risk,” Berejiklian said.
Retired police being paid $3.2K a month to investigate 'potential irregularities and/or illegalities'
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Photo by: Via video from 3 News Now |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Retired police officers hired by Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos are being paid $3,200 a month to investigate “potential irregularities and/or illegalities” in the 2020 presidential election.
That's what contracts obtained Thursday by The Associated Press show. The investigators have been hired for three months to conduct the probe.
Vos signed two contracts in recent days and has said he intends to hire a third investigator and an attorney to oversee the probe.
Vos announced plans to have the officers investigate the election results as part of the Republican response to former President Donald Trump’s narrow loss in Wisconsin.
Kenosha officials reject damage claim sought by Jacob Blake
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Photo by: @rellovejones, @money_mike_la via attorney Ben Crump |
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Officials in Kenosha, Wisconsin, have denied a claim for damages from Jacob Blake Jr. The man was paralyzed when he was shot by a white police officer last summer.
Blake sought damages for medical expenses, lost wages and “pain and suffering and disfigurement.” The claim was capped at $50,000 under state law.
But Blake’s lawyers submitted an itemization of “special damages” in the amount of nearly $777,000. The Kenosha City Council voted 17-0 to reject Blake’s request. The Kenosha News reports that there was no deliberation. The city administrator says the filing of the claim was a formality that could allow Blake to sue for the damages.
From: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/kenosha-officials-reject-damage-claim-sought-by-jacob-blake
Family of prisoner who died in Racine County Jail says death was homicide
RACINE, Wis. —
The family of one of the men who died recently in the Racine County Jail says they have new information about how he died.
Malcolm James' family said they have never believed that the 27-year-old died June 1 of natural causes.
Now they have results from an independent autopsy they requested that they say proves otherwise.
Now they have results from an independent autopsy they requested that they say proves he was beaten and shocked with a Taser.
"This is a homicide. There's no question about it. This is homicide," attorney Kevin O'Connor said.
Police arrested James after he started a fire in his apartment.
His family said he suffered from mental illness, and while in jail, the Racine County Sheriff's Office said he repeatedly smashed his head on the cell wall, experienced a medical event that caused him to become unconscious and died.
O'Connor said a body diagram from the independent autopsy shows his injuries.
"They're saying he hit the front or back of his head, there's no mark, so their claims that he smashed his head or did something to his own head are completely and utterly false," the attorney said.
O'Connor said the unnamed pathologist in Milwaukee found multiple stun gun punctures, abrasions and lacerations, but no head injuries.
"Do you believe Malcolm died at the hands of jail staff?" WISN 12's Hillary Mintz asked the attorney.
"This is unquestionably that he died at the hands of jail staff," O'Connor said.
James and another prisoner died in jail, four days apart.
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office is investigating both deaths to try to figure out what, if anything, could've been done differently.
Kenosha County told WISN 12 the investigation isn't done yet and would not respond to the new claim.
WISN 12 learned James' initial autopsy was done in Milwaukee County, but the Racine County medical examiner said they haven't definitively determined his cause of death and are still waiting on toxicology results.
His family said they will keep fighting for justice.
"He has a right to be safe at the hands of a police officer, sheriff or anyone else. We want justice we want someone to account for this young man having injuries like this," James' aunt said.
Racine sheriff's officials did not respond to WISN 12's calls Wednesday, but Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling released video of what he described as "video evidence of jail staff intervention of a violent inmate experiencing a mental health crisis."
He said a Taser was used.
In a previous statement, officials said the jail provided James medical care after hitting his head against the wall on two occasions.
The family wants state investigators to get involved.
The death of 22-year-old Ditello-Scott Jr., found dead in his cell a few hours after being arrested for drunken driving, is also under investigation.
Family of man who died in Racine County Jail blindsided by sheriff's video release
RACINE, Wis. —
The family of a man who died in the Racine County jail earlier this month said they were blindsided when the sheriff released edited video Wednesday night from inside the jail cell.
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling responded to the family's claims about 27-year-old Malcolm James' jail death with seven and half minutes of a prerecorded statement and edited body camera video.
"In this video, you will see Mr. James violently hitting his head on a concrete wall," Schmaling said.
"Looking at the videotape, what I saw was my son feeling frustrated," James' mother, Sherry James, said.
"Sherry, had you ever seen any jail cell video before last night?' WISN 12 News reporter Hillary Mintz asked.
"No, I have not," Sherry James said.
Sherry James said the sheriff's office never notified her about the video release.
"That was awful to see it that way. I felt devastated. I felt defeated," Sherry James said.
The sheriff said the headbanging caused Malcolm James to become unconscious and die.
His family requested their own autopsy, which they have not shared with WISN 12 News. but they said the independent report revealed Taser, not head injuries.
"This is a homicide. There's no question about it. This is homicide," James's family attorney Kevin O'Connor said during a news conference Wednesday.
Now, three weeks later, the sheriff confirmed his staff deployed a stun gun but didn't release that portion of the video.
"Mr. James violently fought with jail staff, and they had to use of physical force to secure him for medical treatment. While it is true a Taser was used, the statements made about tasers causing death are completely false," Schmaling said on the video.
WISN 12 News tried to ask the sheriff questions Wednesday, but his office never responded.
Schmaling wasn't available Thursday, either.
The autopsies from the Milwaukee County medical examiner and the independent are not done yet.
They're both waiting for the toxicology to determine the official cause of death.
WISN 12 News filed open records requests for all additional audio and/or video connected to James' case so that it may be viewed in its entirety.
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Tide is making the first laundry detergent for space
Astronauts wouldn't have to wear clothes multiple times.
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| Procter & Gamble |
Astronauts don't have the luxury of tossing clothes in the hamper after a single use — without laundry equipment, they're often left wearing items multiple times. Tide thinks it can come to the rescue, though. The Procter & Gamble brand has teamed with NASA to develop the first laundry detergent meant for space. The fully degradable detergent should take care of stains and odors while working properly in a closed-loop water system like the one you'd find aboard the International Space Station.
It won't take long before you see a rea world (or rather, real off-world) trial run. NASA will test Tide's detergent aboard the ISS in 2022. "Mission PGTide," as it's called, will gauge ingredient stability in space as well as the effectiveness of the stain removal ingredients using Tide's pens and wipes.
Other studies will explore the possibility of a washer-dryer combo that could be use for long-term Moon and Mars missions.
The advantages for space are fairly self-evident. Those lunar and martian explorers won't have any choice but to clean their clothes — this detergent could make that possible without subtracting from their precious water supply. It could also save weight and space aboard both the ISS and cargo capsules, as NASA wouldn't need to send so many clothes into orbit.
This could also be helpful for laundry back on Earth, for that matter. A fully degradable detergent would be more environmentally friendly, reducing waste and conserving water. Don't be surprised if you eventually buy detergent that's kind to the planet precisely because it's designed to be used off-planet.
China's COVID vaccine fail
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| A Chinese citizen receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Mong Ha Sports Complex in Macao, south China. Photo: Cheong Kam Ka/Xinhua via Getty Images |
Multiple countries that eagerly inoculated their people with China's COVID vaccines face devastating new case surges.
Why it matters: This revelation undermines China’s vaccine diplomacy, which Beijing has prioritized in the developing world to win influence and commercial deals.
- China loved the contrast with the U.S., which has been slow in allocating surplus vaccines abroad.
- Now, developing countries are likely to look increasingly to the West, and not to Beijing, for vaccines.
"In the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain and Mongolia, 50 to 68 percent of the populations have been fully inoculated, outpacing the United States," the N.Y. Times reports.
- "All four ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst Covid outbreaks as recently as last week."
- "And all four are mostly using shots made by two Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech."
By comparison, Israel used Pfizer and has 4.95 cases per million people, versus the Seychelles at 716 per million.
The bottom line: China has been offering countries tens of millions of vaccine doses.
- But if people in these countries don’t want the shots, the U.S. could be back in the driver’s seat on vaccine diplomacy.
ESPN's First Take disses Milwaukee, referring to it as a 'terrible city'
ESPN's First Take discussed the possibility of traveling to Milwaukee for the NBA Finals, dissing the city in the process.
Former NFL player Damien Woody asked talking head Stephen A. Smith if he really wanted to travel to Milwaukee and Smith responded with a "hell no."
Host Molly Qerim Rose was happy that the program will likely forgo traveling to a site for the NBA Finals this year because "it's going to be terrible cities." The remaining cities in the playoffs are Milwaukee, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Max Kellerman tried to clean up Rose's statements: "Terrible cities? Molly didn't mean that."
"I don't believe I've ever rooted for the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Clippers more in my life," said Smith, making it known he prefers to travel to Atlanta or Los Angeles as opposed to the Brew City.
Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.
Racine leaders look for solutions after drownings, nears drownings in Lake Michigan
RACINE — Racine County and city leaders are looking for solutions after three people including a 10-year-old girl had to be pulled from Lake Michigan in recent days.
"Anytime we have children die in a community, it really rocks the emotions of all of us, especially when there's senseless deaths that could've been prevented," said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling during a press briefing Tuesday.
Over the weekend, 10-year-old Eisha Figuereo Colon, known as Naomi, drowned at Zoo Beach. Moments later, 17-year-old Yaadwinder Singh was pulled from the water at North Beach and later died at a hospital.
Singh was a student at the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District. The school district released a statement saying:
"It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of OCHS student Yaadwinder Singh. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Members of our Student Services Team will be on hand to offer any needed emotional support to our students and staff.”
Caledonia Police Department buys woman AC unit after she was the victim of a scam
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From left, Detective Chad Zoltak, Officer Kiara Riser, Officer Sam Wolfe, Officer Myles Barry, the Caledonia resident and Lt. Gary Larsen pose for a photo Friday after the CPD presented the resident with an AC unit after she was the victim of a fraud. The resident did not wish to be identified. |
CALEDONIA — While police officers are typically best known for enforcing the law, arresting criminals, and detecting and preventing crimes, they typically aren’t known for making up for damage as a result of crime.
The Caledonia Police Department helped a woman in need last week by providing something she needed and was going to buy anyway — but she didn’t have the necessary funds for after she was the victim of a scam.
Caledonia Police Officer Myles Barry responded to a fraud complaint call from a Caledonia resident Thursday. The woman was a victim of a telephone scam, according to information from Lt. Gary Larsen, public information officer with the Caledonia Police Department.
Barry visited the woman’s residence located in the Crestview subdivision and noticed it was extremely hot. The woman said some of the money she lost due to the fraud was going to be for a new air conditioning unit.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
White House: Biden's Catholic faith is not 'political'
pThe U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is moving to rebuke Biden and other Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday that President Joe Biden did not interpret his Catholic faith “through a political prism,” declining to comment on a recent decision by U.S. Catholic bishops that could result in a rebuke of the president for his views on abortion.
“Joe Biden is a strong man of faith. And as he noted just a couple of days ago, it’s personal. He goes to church, as you know, nearly every weekend. He even went when we were on our overseas trip,” Psaki told reporters — referring to the president and first lady’s attendance at a Sunday service last week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the English seaside town of St. Ives.
“It’s personal to him. He doesn’t see it through a political prism,” Psaki added at her White House briefing. “And we’re not going to comment otherwise on the inner workings of the Catholic Church.”
Psaki’s remarks come after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the drafting of a “teaching document” last Friday that some supporters say will serve as an admonishment of Biden and other Catholic politicians for receiving communion while holding political positions that run counter to church doctrine.
Biden, the second Catholic president, is known as a deeply religious man who frequently cites Scripture in his public remarks and often carries rosary beads in his pocket. He has also spoken and written at length about how his faith helped him grieve the deaths of his wife and 1-year-old daughter after a car accident in 1972, as well as the death of his son Beau in 2015 due to brain cancer.
Still, Catholics have questioned his devotion to the faith in recent years, as he competed in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and campaigned against then-President Donald Trump — who enjoyed enormous support from evangelical Christian voters.
In October 2019, Biden was denied communion at a South Carolina Catholic church because of his longstanding advocacy for abortion rights. “I am not going to discuss that,” Biden said of the incident at the time. “That is just my personal life.”
From: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/21/biden-catholic-faith-495361
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