Saturday, September 25, 2021
Wisconsin scam victims lost $93K+ during summer 2021
The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin reports Wisconsinites lost $93,000 over the summer because of scams. The BBB said scammers disguise themselves as credit card companies and even dog breeders.
Pleasant Prairie police arrest Illinois teen, guns found: video
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - Video from the Pleasant Prairie Police Department shows the arrest of a young teen in possession of a loaded gun on Monday, Sept. 20.
An officer saw three boys pushing a stalled car near 39th Avenue and 114th Place. The car, police said, had Florida license plates.
Police Chief David Smetana said everything unfolded around 6:20 p.m. on Monday. As the officer talked to them, one of the boys said he was 18 years old and had no weapons on him – both turned out to be false.
"One of the individuals said he was 18. He didn’t look 18, so now you see the officer’s suspicion start to rise, the vehicle had out-of-state plates, it looks disabled," Smetana said.
The officer patted one of the three boys down and found what the boy said was a BB gun. The officer asked the other two boys to sit on a nearby curb.
Pleasant Prairie police body camera video shows three Zion, Illinois boys. The 13-year-old (right) was arrested.
According to police, the officer did not find a BB gun. Instead, it was a loaded 9mm handgun. And that wasn't all. In a nearby bush, police found a backpack that officers said was placed there by the boys.
"Within that backpack was another loaded 9mm handgun and a 50-round drum magazine for a handgun," said Smetana.
The teen who told the officer was 18 years old turned out to be 13. The other two bots were 11 and 12 years old. All three of them were from Zion, Illinois.
Police later discovered the vehicle, which had run out of gas, was a rental car reported stolen out of Kenosha. The keys, Smetana said, were found in the 13-year-old's pocket. Additional ammunition was found inside the stolen car.
"I want people to watch out for their kids, and I want people to understand that this is a dangerous job. I think this really highlights it," Smetana said.
The 13-year-old was placed in juvenile detention. The younger boys were released to their parents.
See more: https://www.fox6now.com/news/il-teen-arrested-pleasant-prairie-officer-search-turned-up-handgun
Friday, September 24, 2021
Racine police officer injured, car hit; man charged with OWI
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| Jahleel Spencer |
RACINE, Wis. - A 25-year-old Racine man is charged with multiple counts – accused of hitting a police officer's squad car, injuring the officer, on Sept. 18.
Prosecutors say Jahleel Spencer was intoxicated at the time of the hit-and-run, which happened near 16th Street and Memorial Drive.
A criminal complaint states authorities were informed of a red box truck that had hit a Racine police officer's squad car and kept driving. The truck was later stopped by Racine police on 13th Street.
The officer said she was blocking traffic on Memorial Driver when her squad was hit by the truck. The incident was recorded on squad and body cameras. The officer was taken to the hospital with injuries and pain to her ribs.
According to a criminal complaint, Spencer was identified as the driver of the truck involved. Law enforcement at the scene noted a "strong odor of intoxicants" on his breath. After performing field sobriety tests, Spencer provided a breathalyzer sample with a result of .257 – more than three times the legal limit. He was arrested for operating while intoxicated and taken to the hospital for a legal evidentiary blood draw.
Spencer is charged with hit-and-run causing injury and operating while intoxicated causing injury. He made an initial court appearance on Sept. 20. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Oct. 7.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/racine-police-officer-injured-car-hit-man-charged-with-owi
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Two Afghan refugees charged with child sex, spousal abuse crimes at Fort McCoy
MADISON - Two Afghan refugees are being held in a Dane County jail after being charged with crimes alleged to have been committed at Fort McCoy in Tomah.
Bahrullah Noori, 20, is charged with three counts of attempting to engage in a sexual act with a minor, while using force in one case. The victims were under the age of 16, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Mohammad Haroon Imaad, 32, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling and suffocating her.
Noori and Imaad are scheduled to appear before a federal judge on Thursday. Noori faces a minimum of 30 years in prison and Imaad faces up to 10 years in prison.
The charges are a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fort McCoy police.
The two were among more than 12,000 Afghan residents who were evacuated from the country as U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August and flown to Fort McCoy in Monroe County.
The evacuees living at Fort McCoy are seeking special immigration status and will be aided by a group of nine agencies to help the refugees settle in the U.S.
Refugees will be settled in 150 different communities around the country, but officials have not said where those communities are. Nearly 400 are expected to be settled in Wisconsin.
Last week, U.S. DOJ officials said they were investigating child welfare complaints and rumors that adult male refugees with child brides were brought to the U.S. as part of the evacuation.
26-year-old Fond du Lac Police Officer passes away from COVID-19 complications
He is survived by his wife and two children, one born the night before Joseph passed away.
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Photo by: Fond du Lac Police Department |
FOND DU LAC POLIC — The Fond du Lac Police Department says one of its officers, 26-year-old Joseph Kurer, passed away from complications caused by COVID-19.
The police department said in a statement Wednesday night that Kurer was sworn-in as a officer on Aug. 6, 2018.
He was a member of Tactical Field Force Team, Honor Guard Unit, Domestic Violence Intervention Team, and earlier this year was certified as a Field Training Officer. The department says Kurer was also an Aviation Operations Noncommissioned Officer (Sergeant) with the United States Army, Wisconsin National Guard.
Before joining the Fond du Lac Police Department, Kurer was a Community Service Officer with the City of West Bend Police Department.
On Wednesday, Officer Kurer was escorted from the hospital to the funeral home by a law enforcement procession. Officers will stand vigil by his side until the services are complete, the police department said.
He is survived by his wife and two children, one born the night before Joseph passed away.
“Our entire Fond du Lac Police Department family mourns the passing of Officer Joseph Kurer. Our love and condolences go out to Joseph’s wife and children and all those with whom he served. We, as a police department family will do everything possible to continue to provide support and comfort to Joseph’s family. Joseph will be missed by everyone here," said newly made Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein.
Rodgers preps for 49ers, who asked about him before draft
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Photo by: Matt Ludtke/AP |
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Imagine if Aaron Rodgers was playing for the San Francisco 49ers instead of the Green Bay Packers when the two teams face off Sunday night.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan inquired about the availability of Rodgers in a trade before this year's draft. The Packers quickly said they weren't trading Rodgers. The 49ers pivoted to selecting Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall selection. Rodgers instead is in his 14th season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Gabby Petito's remains found in Wyoming, FBI confirms 'homicide'
The FBI on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that the remains investigators discovered on Sunday in the Teton-Bridger National Forest belonged to missing 22-year-old woman Gabby Petito.
"Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue confirmed the remains are those of Gabrielle Venora Petito, date of birth March 19, 1999. Coroner Blue’s initial determination for the manner of death is homicide. The cause of death remains pending final autopsy results," the FBI tweeted Tuesday with a statement from the Jackson, Wyoming, coroner.
The FBI and local law enforcement agencies were searching for Petito over the weekend in a remote campsite area on the border of the national forest and Grand Teton National Park. Remains discovered on Sunday were transported to Blue's office for an autopsy, which he performed on Tuesday. The final report nor the exact cause of death have been released.
"The FBI's commitment to justice is in the forefront of each and every investigation," FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said in a statement. "The FBI and our partners remain dedicated to ensuring anyone responsible for or complicit in Ms. Petito's death is held accountable for their actions."
Stone cross reporters discovered after the FBI found remains consistent with a description of Gabby Petito in the Spread Creek dispersed campgrounds. (Fox News, Audrey Conklin)
Petito and her 23-year-old fiancé, Brian Laundrie, were traveling from New York to Oregon in a white 2012 Ford Transit van that they converted into a camper. Tipsters have suggested the pair was last seen together in late August in Wyoming near Grand Teton National Park.
Petito’s family reported her missing on Sept. 11, weeks after she last spoke with her mother in late August.
Laundrie returned home to North Port, Fla., where the couple lived with Laundrie’s parents, 10 days earlier on Sept. 1 with no sign of his fiancé. Authorities recovered the van on Sept. 11, and began a forensic examination of the vehicle on Sept. 14.
Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito (North Port Police Department)
Laundrie is a person of interest in the case and has since also been reported missing. North Port law enforcement officers are continuing their search Tuesday for any signs of the 23-year-old in an area of the Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve not far from Laundrie's family home.
"May she rest in peace," Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said in a statement reacting to news of Petito.
The FBI continues to seek information about the homicide. Anyone can submit helpful information to submit to the FBI at http://tips.fbi.gov, 1-800-CALL-FBI or 303-629-7171.
From: https://www.foxnews.com/us/gabby-petito-remains-confirmed
Workers reinstall Wisconsin statues downed in 2020 protest
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Photo by: Todd Richmond/AP |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Workers have reinstalled two statues on the Wisconsin Capitol grounds that protesters damaged during a demonstration last year following George Floyd's death.
Protesters in June broke off a leg and tore the head off a statue of abolitionist Hans Christian Heg. They also dented and broke a finger off the “Forward” statue.
The state received $60,000 in federal grants to cover restoration efforts. Workers from the state Department of Administration reinstalled both statues Tuesday morning. They used a boom crane to lower Heg back onto his pedestal.
The protest was among demonstrations around the U.S. after Floyd's death while in Minneapolis police custody.
From: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/workers-reinstall-wisconsin-statues-downed-in-2020-protest
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Several students separated at Racine County Middle School for not wearing masks
Parents, students protest mask mandate at Fox River Middle School, district administrators respond
Several students at Fox River Middle School in Waterford said they were isolated in rooms Monday after refusing to wear masks.
"He had made a comment about feeling like he was being treated like an animal," said Katie Guardiola, a parent to a 7th grader at the school. "Initially, I knew they were in the library — I think with a group. So that was sufficient. But it clearly turned into a punishment instead of an accommodation."
The Waterford School District notified families Friday a mask mandate would go into place Monday. District Administrators told 12 News this is due to the school having six positive COVID-19 cases and 31 people out for contact tracing.
"If we have kids masked, we can keep them in school, we don't have to send them home for close contact. " said District Administrator Ed Brzinski. "So if we're distanced, and they have a mask on, they're staying in school, and that's our goal."
Brzinski said there are already the same number of cases district-wide within 13 days as there were in three months last year.
Parents and students protested outside of the school Monday afternoon.
"A table, four chairs and one window behind me," 12-year-old Thiago Guardiola said as he described the room in which he said he spent hours alone. "I was pretty bored, and I kind of felt upset because I was in there all alone, and I thought it was my right to do what I wanted."
Initially, the students who declined to wear masks were placed in the library. It's unclear what led to the students being isolated in separate rooms. The district administrator declined to comment on those details.
"The kids shouldn't be treated like that's a punishment," said Guardiola. "I think my son felt like a prisoner all day. So it was a big deal. Unfair, and I, at least, should have been notified if he was going to be secluded like that."
Parents were notified Monday morning via email that the school would provide their child a location in the building to ensure they are able to learn. Parents said they did not think their kid would be in a small room alone.
As of now the mandate is temporary. Brzinski told 12 News the district will re-evaluate the mandate in 10 days.
"If somebody accuses me of being too safe, I'm okay with that," said Brzinski.
He said there will be a dedicated class space for the students who choose to not wear masks moving forward.
Wisconsin woman gave ride to man she believes was Brian Laundrie
A Wisconsin college student and her boyfriend believe they gave a ride to a hitchhiker who turned out to be Brian Laundrie
A Wisconsin college student and her boyfriend believe they gave a ride to a hitchhiker who turned out to be Brian Laundrie.
Miranda Baker goes to UW-Oshkosh.
She spoke with ABC News about her encounter with a man who she new believes was Laundrie while at Grand Teton National Park.
"I saw a video and saw his face, and, I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, that's the man who I gave a ride. I immediately called the police," Baker said.
She is now a crucial witness in a national manhunt for Laundrie.
He's a "person of interest" in the disappearance of his girlfriend Gabby Petito.
Police found what they presume are Petito's remains on Sunday.
"My boyfriend and I were coming into the Tetons from Yellowstone," Baker said.
She graduated from Kimberly High School.
Baker and her boyfriend traveled out west last month.
The hitchhiker to whom they gave a ride offered them $200 for a lift on Aug. 29.
"When he first came up to us, he introduced himself, you know, 'Hi, my name is Brian,' you know, 'I'm just looking for a ride,'" Baker said.
She posted several videos about the interaction with Laundrie on her TikTok page with detailed descriptions and maps of where they gave him a ride.
"He had told my boyfriend and I (that) he — him and his fiance, he never referred to her by name — were doing a cross country road trip and that she was back at their van at a disbursed campsite working on their social media," Baker said. "He referred to them as digital nomads."
She said Laundrie was in her Jeep for 23 minutes before he got out.
Three days later, Laundrie returned to Florida without his girlfriend.
Petito's parents reported her missing on Sept. 11.
Now, he's disappeared.
"It was a little strange. I've never picked up a hitchhiker. So, it was definitely strange. But he seemed nice. He was our age. Nothing seemed off about him," Baker said.
She added that, looking back, it's strange Laundrie was traveling separate from Petito.
Baker said she has been cooperating with the FBI.
See more: https://www.wisn.com/article/gabby-petito-wisconsin-woman-gave-ride-to-brian-laundrie/37668172
Packers beat Lions at Lambeau in Green Bay's home opener
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| GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers does the Lambeau Leap to celebrate a touchdown with fans against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Ph |
Green Bay (1-1) won its ninth straight home opener. The Packers, who got thumped 38-3 by the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, looked more like the team that went 13-3 in each of coach Matt LaFleur's first two seasons.
Rodgers went 22 of 27 for 255 yards and surpassed John Elway for 10th all-time in passing yards with 51,633. Rodgers has followed up each of the Packers’ last five regular-season losses by throwing four touchdown passes and no interceptions in his next game.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers wears a sombrero after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn
Jones became the first Packers running back to catch three touchdown passes in a game since Andy Uram against the Chicago Cardinals in 1942. He had 17 carries for 67 yards and six catches for 48 yards.
Detroit’s Jared Goff completed 13 of his first 14 passes but struggled the rest of the way as the Lions (0-2) blew a 17-14 halftime lead. Goff finished 26 of 36 for 246 yards. He connected on touchdown passes to Quintez Cephus and T.J. Hockenson but also threw an interception and lost a fumble.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown against the Detroit Lions with teammate Aaron Rodgers #12 during the first half at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Phot
Green Bay scored touchdowns on its first three second-half possessions to seize control.
The Packers faced third-and-12 on their opening series of the second half when Rodgers threw a 50-yard completion to Davante Adams, who ended the night with eight catches for 121 yards.
Lions rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu injured his thigh on the play, further weakening a secondary that already lost cornerback Jeff Okudah to a ruptured Achilles tendon in Detroit's season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay dominated the rest of the way.
Read and see more: https://www.fox6now.com/sports/packers-lions-at-lambeau-in-green-bays-home-opener