Wednesday, December 28, 2022
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Questions about fraud, possible embezzlement, discrimination & wage theft
I think many of us can relate to having health issues that affect our work-life. If anyone understands nonprofits as well as housing (landlord/tenant) issues, if you're up to it, please comment, and I'll give you my email. The same blog, cross-posted, take your preference. I don't want to say too much, but... I need advice.
Sunday, May 8, 2022
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Mount Pleasant officials hope to attract another company to the Foxconn site that they've spent millions to prepare
STURTEVANT - Using public money, Mount Pleasant improved its infrastructure anticipating a massive Foxconn factory and $1.4 billion worth of investment.
With that not happening, village officials believe they can attract another national or international company to the massive and largely vacant site.
"We've put in a lot of infrastructure folks," said Claude Lois, Foxconn's project manager hired by Mount Pleasant. "We've sized this at the time for Foxconn Generation 10, but today, actually because of all the work we did we are sitting pretty good for all the work we did for the future."
Lois spoke during a special meeting of the Racine County Board and the Mount Pleasant Village Board Tuesday — the first time a public update on Foxconn has been given since 2019. Foxconn representatives were invited to participate but declined.
Residents were not allowed to speak during the meeting but were given a chance to submit questions in advance. Those questions were not answered during the meeting.
Foxconn land acquired, prepared but what will be built?
After spending eight months wooing semiconductor chip manufacturing giant Intel Corp., Racine County officials learned in December the company chose Ohio instead of the Foxconn site.
Jim Paetsch, executive director of the Milwaukee 7, helped to negotiate the Racine County Intel pitch. He said Foxconn was cooperative throughout the process.
Paetsch said what Intel liked about Mount Pleasant will be attractive to other companies including farming and battery manufacturers.
"The really good news is Mount Pleasant and Racine County have a really good site," Paetsch said. "We're looking forward to pursuing more opportunities in months to come. What people don't understand sometimes about economic development is, if you don't have a site, you don't have a deal."
But some residents say hypothetical deals aren't good enough.
Kim Mahoney is one of the few remaining homeowners still living on the Foxconn site. Mount Pleasant closed negotiations on buying her property in 2019.
"People gave up their homes for a $10 billion investment and 13,000 jobs, not for speculation as to what might get built there," said Mahoney, who attended the meeting.
Mount Pleasant and Racine County created a $911 million special taxing district in 2017 to support the Foxconn project.
That money was used to pay for land acquisition, massive infrastructure upgrades and other expenses in Mount Pleasant, according to the agreement. More than 100 homes and properties were purchased — sometimes through the eminent domain process — so Foxconn could assemble its site.
According to the agreement, the money will be recouped over 30 years with funding and property tax revenue from Foxconn and other businesses in the district.
Local officials have repeatedly said they are protected because Foxconn must make minimum tax payments equal to about $30 million beginning in 2023, regardless of the project’s completion status.
They reiterated this message on Tuesday saying Foxconn has met all of its financial obligations including tax payments and special assessment payments totaling $22 million.
In December 2021, Foxconn qualified for nearly $30 million in Wisconsin tax credits for creating 579 eligible jobs and investing $266 million in the facility.
It's still unclear what Foxconn is doing
After much hype surrounding Foxconn's arrival in Wisconsin in 2017, it has been unclear for years what the company's plans are for Wisconsin.
In April 2021, the state revised its $2.85 billion contract with Foxconn to create more realistic goals including the creation of 1,454 jobs — 11% of the original plan — by 2024.
Foxconn has said it has invested approximately $900 million in Wisconsin, which includes a nearly 1-million-square-foot "advanced manufacturing" facility in the Village of Mount Pleasant, a 300,000-square-foot "smart manufacturing center," a 120,000-square-foot "multipurpose building" and a 100-foot tall "high performance computing data center globe."
But it has been unclear what type of day-to-day work is actually being done in those buildings.
Monday, March 14, 2022
Sunday, March 13, 2022
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Monday, March 7, 2022
COVID-19 community levels remain high in Racine, Kenosha counties
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| Photo by: CDC |
WISCONSIN — In recent weeks, we have reported good news out of Milwaukee County in regard to COVID-19. Cases and hospital needs are declining, and the county has officially entered the 'green zone' with a positivity rate of less than 5%.
That case isn't the same in Racine or Kenosha counties, though. The online CDC map breaking down community levels by county shows Racine and Kenosha aren't doing as well as the rest of southeastern Wisconsin.
While areas like Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, and Walworth County all show low community levels, Kenosha and Racine are high.
- Milwaukee County Enters COVID-19 Green Zone As Cases, Hospital Needs Decline
- Milwaukee County's COVID-19 Positivity Rate Drops Below 5%
Along with the map, the CDC also lists recommendations for preventing COVID-19 based on the community levels in your area.
When levels are low, like they are in Milwaukee County, the CDC recommends staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and getting testing if you show symptoms. However, if community levels are high in the area, the CDC recommends wearing a mask inside, in addition to staying up to date with vaccines and getting tested if you have symptoms.
A few other counties in Wisconsin also show high transmission rates. They are Barron, Rusk, Iron, Vilas, Oneida, and Forest counties.
Man fatally shot in Racine, vigil honors his life
RACINE, Wis. - Members of the community gathered Sunday, March 6 to remember a life lost to gun violence in Racine.
Demond Hicks, 36, was shot near 16th and Cleveland early on Saturday, Feb. 26.
Officers were dispatched to the neighborhood around 3:45 a.m. and found Hicks laying in the middle of the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He later died at the hospital.
Racine police investigators are interested in any additional information that anyone may have about this incident. Any witnesses or citizens with information are urged to call the Racine Police Department Investigations Unit at 262-635-7756.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 262-636-9330, or through the Crime Stoppers app by using the p3 app.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/man-fatally-shot-in-racine-vigil-honors-his-life
Sunday, March 6, 2022
Racine man charged, drank beer in jail lobby: prosecutors
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| Shawn Londre |
RACINE, Wis. - A Racine man is charged with one count of disorderly conduct – accused of drinking a beer in the Racine County Jail's lobby on Thursday, March 3.
Prosecutors allege Shawn Londre, 47, repeatedly refused to leave the lobby upon request.
A criminal complaint states police were called to the Racine County Jail after it was reported that a man was drinking a beer in the lobby and refusing to leave. When they arrived, officers recognized the man – identified as Londre – from prior encounters. The complaint states Londre has previously been convicted of multiple offenses, most recently in December 2021.
The complaint states Londre had an open can of beer in his hand. After several officer commands to leave, he complied. During their interaction, officers said Londre was slurring his words and struggling to walk straight. He also smelled of intoxicants.
When officers issued Londre a citation for having the open beverage, the complaint states he crumbled it up and refused to leave. As he continued to refuse to leave, he was ultimately arrested. A search of Londre's person revealed a pint-size bottle of vodka in his pants pocket.
Londre was taken to the hospital for medical clearance because of his alleged intoxication. There, he allegedly pulled away from officers and refused to sit on the hospital bed – screaming at emergency room staff and yelling that he was going to kill officers, the complaint states.
Londre made an initial court appearance on March 4, and a judge set cash bond at $200. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 2.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/racine-jail-lobby-beer-charges
Saturday, March 5, 2022
Racine Firefighter Christopher Lalor funeral, service remembered
RACINE, Wis. - Longtime Racine Firefighter Christopher Lalor was laid to rest Friday, March 4 after he was found killed in his home last month.
People who worked alongside Lalor remember him as helpful, hardworking and caring toward his community. His community cared for him, too, and came out for a service in his memory at Racine's Festival Hall.
There, a procession began – paying tribute to the firefighter who had more than 20 years of service with the Racine Fire Department. While firetrucks lit up the streets, a reception awaited outside his old station.
Lalor was like a brother not just to Racine firefighters, but to those from surrounding departments as well.
"When a tragedy like this happens, it reminds us that we lost a brother today," said South Shore Firefighter Nathan Elderbrook. "Tragedy like this reaches deep enough – they felt the need to come out here and pay their respects."
Christopher Lalor
Friday's funeral procession was an example of solidarity.
"We might not have known him, (but) we can imagine if we did how hard that would be," Elderbrook said. "I can only imagine what the guys that worked with him every day are feeling."
Elderbrook and other South Shore firefighters were not part of the procession. After the loss of Lalor, they had another role to fill. The department took over services at Lalor's old station, so the firefighters he worked with could attend Friday's services.
"If that would happen with one of our crew members, we’d love to be able to do the same thing," said South Shore Firefighter Corey Pipp.
It was a helping hand they were glad to extend.
"It was sad but very rewarding at the same time, knowing we’re giving the members that served with him their time to grieve undistracted," South Shore Fire Lt. John Omelina said.
Procession for Racine Firefighter Christopher Lalor
That time to grieve was all made possible by those in service – keeping the lights on at Lalor's old station.
"Though we might not all work together under the same roof, or even know each other personally, when a tragedy like this happens it reminds us all we all serve the community in the same purpose," said Elderbrooks.
As to what led up to Lalor's death, his family told police that the suspect was a long-time friend and former roommate. That suspect, identified as Peter Lui, is also dead – found in Florida with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
From: https://www.fox6now.com/news/racine-funeral-firefighter-christopher-lalor-honored
Friday, March 4, 2022
New Study: COVID Can Infect Men's Genitals, Cause Infertility and Erectile Dysfunction
It's been some months since Nicki Minaj and others amplified the falsehood that COVID vaccines made men's testicles swell up. And now some researchers have found that the COVID-19 virus gets into the penis, prostate, and testicles of some men, and can cause long-term problems with their sexual health and fertility.
There's a good deal of Venn diagram overlap between anti-vaxxers, COVID deniers, and macho Republican and libertarian men who think the virus is no match for them and their great, Trumpian personal strength. But wait til they hear their bouts with COVID might give them some trouble getting their dicks hard!
A pre-print, non-peer-reviewed study in the journal Northwestern Medicine reveals that "multiple tissues of the male genital tract can be infected with SARS-CoV-2," and the finding is based on PET scans of COVID-infected rhesus macaques. (The primates have been found to have similar disease progression to humans when infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and are therefore used as study subjects.) Researchers say they expected mostly to find the virus present in the upper nose and brain area — which would be the reason that COVID patients often lose their sense of taste or smell. But they found it also present in 10 to 20 percent of male subjects' genitals — specifically in the prostate, the vasculature of testicles, the penis and the testicles.