Saturday, October 19, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024
Crash in I-94 prompts all lanes to close in Kenosha County
Interstate 94 in Kenosha County was closed both directions following a crash Friday involving semitrucks.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said the incident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. near Somers and I-94 or Interstate 41 southbound is closed at County KR. The agency said all northbound lanes were open shortly before 6 p.m.
ABC 7 in Chicago helicopter footage showed a large presence of emergency responders and apparently two semitrailers badly damaged and charred.
The incident occurred just north of the Illinois border and is on an interstate that connects Milwaukee to Chicago.
This is a developing story.
Made in Wisconsin: Family-owned Palermo's Pizza approaches $1 billion in sales
Former MPS teacher's aide found guilty of child enticement and other felonies
Jefferson was found not guilty on two of 10 felony charges, including second degree sexual assault of a child.
A Milwaukee jury has found Randell Jefferson, a former teacher's aide at the Oliver Wendell Holmes School, guilty of seven felonies related to his contact with children.
Those convictions include three counts of soliciting a child for prostitution, two for child enticement with sexual contact, and two for exposing a child to harmful material, according to the jury's Wednesday verdict in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
Jefferson, 35, was found not guilty of two more charges related to second-degree sexual assault of a child and child enticement with sexual contact. One more count, exposing a child to harmful material, was dismissed.school
The charges were connected to Jefferson's contact with children at the Harambee neighborhood elementary and middle school between between 2021 and 2023. He worked there since the since the 2018-19 school year, according to state data
Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 21.
He could face up to 25 years and $100,000 for each enticement and solicitation charge. For the charges related to exposing a child to harmful material, he could face up to 3½ years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Lawyers for Jefferson did not respond to request for comment before publication.
Cleo Krejci covers education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa.
'Just like the icicles, our hearts are melting': Ice Castles won't be in Lake Geneva this year
Amy Schwabe
This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.
Ice Castles will not return to Lake Geneva this year.
The castles, which were hand-built from thousands of icicles to create slides, thrones and tunnels for visitors to walk through, had been a winter event in Lake Geneva since 2019 (their first Wisconsin appearance was in the Dells in 2018).
On Oct. 16, Ice Castles, LLC announced on its Facebook page that: "Just like the icicles, our hearts are melting as we share that we won’t be returning to Wisconsin this year. But we’re excited for new adventures on the horizon! We can’t wait to bring the magic back in future seasons and create even more unforgettable moments with you."
The allusion to a weather-related reason for the castles not returning doesn't come as a surprise as warm winters have plagued the Ice Castles for the past few years. In 2023, the Ice Castles had to close after just three days, as the company's Facebook page announced: "Over the last three days, the castle has melted beyond repair. We always say that Ice Castles is a delicate dance with Mother Nature. Sadly, this winter she didn't feel like dancing."
Last year, Lake Geneva's Ice Castles event was rebranded as "Winter Realms," and the ice structures were billed as more "weather-resilient," although Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird still encouraged people to hedge their bets, stating in a news release at the time that, "We do not know how long we will be able to remain open due to unpredictable weather forecasts, and we encourage guests to come as soon as possible and not wait."
That turned out to be good advice; in an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Standifird said last year's castles only lasted ten or 11 days. He did note, however, that the "weather-resilient" innovations — which included adding snow elements to the ice — did help, as the castles lasted longer than the previous year, even though last year's temperatures were even warmer.
"Last year, about half the castle was made out of snow, and we made ice igloos that we covered with snow as a form of insulation, with some ice features inside the igloos," Standifird said. "We also did things like have courtyards made of snow instead of ice, and we have some other ideas that we're working on that can keep the Ice Castles magic but also keep things open a little longer."
Although those innovations won't be used in Lake Geneva this year, Standifird described this year's cancellation as a pause that the business had to take in order to regroup in an effort to "bring the Ice Castles magic back to Wisconsin."
Quite a few Facebook comments noted that it might make sense to locate the Ice Castles in a more northern area of Wisconsin, where the weather is likely to be more cooperative. Standifird said that's a possibility, but also said that the company's preference is to return to Lake Geneva.
"We have been looking at other Wisconsin markets to see if we might have a better chance of success farther north, and we're evaluating if that would be necessary in order to return to Wisconsin," Standifird said. "But we have loved being in Lake Geneva, the community there and the partnership with Geneva National Resort
"Lake Geneva has just been a great place to do business with, and we hope to be back."
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Lionel Railroad Club of Southeast Wisconsin hosting open house
Liz Snyder
RACINE — The Lionel Railroad Club of Southeast Wisconsin will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.
The public is invited to come and see Lionel Railroad Club members operate a variety of “O” and “S” gauge trains.
Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.
The club, founded in 1997, is located above American Coin & Jewelry, 4625 Washington Ave. The club entrance is on Ohio Street, on the west side of the building. Visitors are asked to park in the south lot.
The club features five model train layouts:
- The 10-by-14-foot layout features a Plasticville city and a carnival scene with operating rides.
- The second layout is 17-by-27 feet and features three loops of track with wide sweeping curves and numerous sidings.
- An “O” gauge layout is pre-World War II.
- A Thomas the Tank Engine track is set at a height for children to enjoy.
- A newly created “S” gauge American Flyer track is 5-by-8 feet.
“The layouts will appeal to people of all ages,” said Tim Deadrick, the club’s president.
For more information, contact the club via email at Lionelrrsewi@gmail.com.
Racine Common Council passes boycott-related ordinances
Holly Gilvary
RACINE — Two weeks after a Racine Common Council meeting failed to meet quorum largely because of an alder boycott, members approved multiple ordinances related to the boycott and overrode one veto from Mayor Cory Mason.
The council on Tuesday approved an ordinance changing the procedure for handling communications that come to the council, granting alders the ability to view each communication and refer it to a standing committee.
After the appropriate standing committee approves the communication, it will return to Common Council for discussion and final approval.
Other ordinances related to the boycott that the council approved include:
- An ordinance prohibiting city employees who report directly to the mayor or have supervisory authority from serving on any city authority, board or commission, going against the Executive Committee's recommendation from Oct. 10 to disapprove.
- Amendments to a current ordinance involving dangerous animals, overriding a veto from the mayor.
- An amendment to a charter ordinance requiring the Common Council to establish a calendar in June of each year for the proposal, consideration and passage of a budget for the ensuing year, and requiring that the mayor present the budget to the council by Oct. 15.
Mason was not present at Tuesday's meeting. Council President Alder Terry McCarthy chaired the meeting.
The council also unanimously approved a recommendation to appoint Marlo Harmon to the vacant District 14 council seat until a special spring election in 2025.
The city clerk swore in Harmon immediately following the vote.
In other business, the council:
- Authorized a 2025 contract for RYDE Racine transit service in Caledonia, Mount Pleasant and Yorkville.
- Approved a developer's agreement for the Wisconn Valley Way Water Main Extension Project, which will service the upcoming Microsoft data centers in Mount Pleasant.
- Approved a developer's agreement for the Springs at Mount Pleasant Water Main Extension Project.
- Approved a developer's agreement for the Highway KR Development Project in Mount Pleasant.
- Novated the incentive agreements with J. Jeffers & Co. for phase IV of the Belle City Square redevelopment, which includes the city issuing a $8 million three-year bridge loan to the developer.
- Approved a developer's agreement for the Mount Pleasant Tax Increment District No. 7 Development Project.
- Voted to allow a claim filed to the city attorney's office requesting reimbursement for damages to the claimant's vehicle allegedly caused by concrete falling from the ceiling at the McMynn Parking Ramp, 120 Seventh St., where the claimant's car was parked.
- Authorized the issuance and sale of $16,525,000 of 2024 general obligation promissory notes to be used for paying the cost of various capital improvement and acquisition projects, vehicles and equipment as set forth in the 2024 capital improvement plan.
- Granted permission to the city to apply for the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in the amount of $15 million to support the construction of the Lincoln King Community Center.
- Granted permission for the city to apply for the $500,000 Fiscal Year 2025 U.S. EPA Brownfield Community Wide Site Assessment Grant, and to accept the grant if awarded.
- Authorized the issuance and sale of up to $959,615 taxable waterworks system revenue bonds.
- Approved the donation from the Potawatomi Nation of a statue "Fire Keeper" to the city, which will be placed at the north entrance to Festival Hall along the Kipikawi Causeway.
- Authorized adding $160,200 to a contract with Complex Security Solutions Inc. for fiber contracting services, in order to fund repair and maintenance and routine work.
- Granted permission to the city to accept the 2024 Capital Project Fund Digital Connectivity and Navigators Program Grant of $576,049.
- Extended a contract with Baker Tilly Vantagen for the Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program through Sept. 30, 2026, for an amount of up to $350,000.
- Granted permission for the city to enter into a sole source agreement with Grant Galaxy LLC for grant writing services from Oct. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2026, for a cost up to $150,000
- Granted permission to the finance director to submit the presentation of the second quarter 2024 fiscal results and investment summaries.
- Granted permission to the finance director to present the 2025 Operating Plan for Business Improvement District No. 1, Downtown Racine Corporation for review and approval.
- Granted permission to the human resources benefits manager to present the healthcare employee premium equivalent rates for 2025, which are expected to be about $100,000 and will be incorporated into the 2025 healthcare budget.
- Granted permission to the human resources benefits manager to plan the design for the city's Retiree Medicare Advantage Health Plan, the changes of which will result in a $1.2 million decrease in the city-wide cost of the program for 2025.
- Granted permission to the human resources benefits manager to discuss the city's Stop Loss Insurance Coverage for 2025 before the Finance and Personnel Committee.
- Submitted bid results for CCTV Sewer Inspection, awarding the contract to Green Bay Pipe & TV LLC for $665,035.
- Submitted bid results for City Hall elevator upgrades, awarding the contract to Express Elevator LLC for $315,000.
- Submitted bid results for the Myers Park Breakwater Restoration project, awarding the contract to C.W. Purpero for $82,084 with an alternate bid of $99,918 for a total of $182,002.
- Accepted and authorized the final payment for the Lincoln/Spring Street bridge removal of $116,827.
- Approved a request from Jeff Sturdevant, directing principal of Walden III Middle and High School, to close the south sidewalk of Rupert Boulevard from Chicago Street west to the cemetery during the 2024-25 winter season.
- Approved the use of 2131 N. Main St. for North Main Street Road Improvement Project.
- Approved an amendment to the contract between the City of Racine and Waste Management adding Waste Management's Pheasant Run Landfill as an option for tipping municipal solid waste.
- Approved a change order to a contract with Bukacek Construction for the Racine Public Works Transfer Station for $111,010.
- Approved a change order to a contract with Berglund Construction for Core Building Tuckpointing for $116,263.
- Authorized submitting a final payment to Globe Contractors for sewage work for a total contract amount of $704,139.
- Authorized submitting a final payment to Absolute Construction Enterprises for work for Island Park Pavilion staircase relocation, for a total contract amount of $46,400.
- Approved a change order to a contract with Beardsley Concrete LLC for College Avenue curb replacement and Erie Street joint repairs for $81,320.
- Authorized submitting a final payment to Beardsley Concrete LLC for College Avenue curb replacement and Erie Street joint repairs for a total contract amount of $205,478.
- Approved a transportation project plat for Ohio Street.
- Authorized a state/municipal agreement for a project on Spring Street.
- Approved a professional services agreement between the city and AECOM for 2024-25 sewer inspection for up to $184,660.
- Authorized an amendment to the Three-Party Professional Engineering Services Contract between the city, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Stand Associates Inc. for a project on North Main Street for up to $450,486.
- Granted permission to the Downtown Racine Corporation to use city right-of-way for the annual holiday parade on Saturday, Nov. 9, closing Ontario Street, State Street between Ontario and Main streets, Main Street from State to Sixth streets and Sixth Street from Main Street to City Hall
- Authorized the city's purchase of about 7,000 tons of road salt from Cargil Inc. for ice control during the 2024-25 winter season under their proposed one-year contract price of $84.12 per ton delivered.
- Authorized the approval of the FFY 2025 Federal Highway Administration/WisDOT Subrecipient Title VI/Nondiscrimination Assurances agreement, allowing for the city to continue to receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Approved the licenses premise report.
- Approved a "Class B" fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for Olive Garden Italian Restaurant at 6000 Durand Ave. and Kafana LLC DBA Markos Neighborhood Bar at 3001 Douglas Ave.
- Denied a "Class B" fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for Day 10 Bar & Grill at 1102 Mound Ave. and La Hacienda Bar at 1455 Douglas Ave.
- Authorized the city attorney's office to represent all city employees and officers in BREG Pike River Development Inc. and BREG Pike River LLC v. City of Racine, et al., Racine County Case No. 2024CV964.
- Approved free parking in downtown Racine on Nov. 29, 2024; Nov. 30, 2024; Dec. 7, 2024; Dec. 14, 2024; and Dec. 21, 2024.
- Approved appointments from the mayor of Valena Coleman to the Board of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, county representative position; and Malik Frazier to the Affirmative Action and Human Rights Commission, each for terms ending April 30, 2027.
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Cops Gone Wild: Homeowner Jailed for 2 Days After He Says Police Went to Wrong House
Milwaukee police recruitment under new pressure with state funding at stake
David Clarey
Earlier this month, Tamellia Williams joined 36 other recruits at the Milwaukee Fire and Police Academy to graduate and receive their badges after a lengthy recruitment and training process.
After more than six months of hard work and training, they were all officially Milwaukee police officers.
The number of graduates was far from what the city's goal was. The city had budgeted for 65 new officers needed to be on stage, nearly double the 37 which graduated on Oct. 3.
"As I've always said on multiple occasions, we do not want more officers," their boss, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, told the 36 recruits. "We need more officers."
The need for classes like this is critical for obvious reasons — it allows the Milwaukee Police Department to maintain and grow its staffing — but starting this year the classes have taken on increased significance.
That’s because of Wisconsin Act 12, a 2023 Wisconsin funding law that grants the city more state funding but also requires it to grow its police force to 1,725 officers within 10 years of the city’s new sales tax going into effect earlier this year.
In August, the Milwaukee Police Department had 1,587 sworn officers. Act 12 does not allow grant-funded officers to be counted in its total, meaning the city's roughly 82 grant-funded positions don't count toward that requirement, according to an August staffing report.
The requirement comes as public opinion on policing became widely mixed following police misconduct in the 2010s and the murder of George Floyd during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the time since, officials have described police recruitment as a "crisis" across the country.
In Milwaukee, academics and police told the Journal Sentinel the public perception of police has made recruitment harder and the job unfashionable for prospective candidates. It's left the city and department trying to find ways to change the public image in hopes of increasing recruitment.
Data from Milwaukee bears that dynamic out, with applications down this year and recruit classes like Williams’ short. However, with state funding on the line, the city and police department have to find solutions while finding qualified applicants to apply.
That means convincing more recruits like Williams to apply. The 30-year-old is a Milwaukee native, was previously in the U.S. Army and has a strong ethos behind her decision to join the department.
“To try to give back to a place where I grew up,” she said of why she wanted to join the department. “And showing the younger generation that they don’t have to be afraid of us, that we’re going to help them, and be a light for them.”
Mayor’s budget funds “maximum number” of new officers as officials try to ease process for candidates
The penalties for not meeting Act 12's staffing requirements could cost the city millions of dollars.
Under the law, Milwaukee will lose 15% of its shared revenue from the state if it does not maintain the number of police officers and the daily staffing level in the Fire Department minimally at the numbers from the previous year. The city met that requirement this year and projections show it will make it in 2025, officials said previously.
However, the effort to increase the police force is not solely driven by Act 12 funding. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson has said it is a priority of his and for two consecutive years he has proposed in his annual budget what he described as the “maximum number of recruits," or three classes of 65 recruits.
Data from the Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body for Milwaukee’s fire and police departments and which oversees recruitment, shows the city did not reach that figure this year. In the two classes for this year so far, the city has appointed 46 and 33 recruits to its classes, which were each budgeted for up to 65 recruits. Those classes then go on to the academy, where some drop out or do not complete the process for various reasons.
The year prior, they were able to recruit at the maximum, but data shows applications have dropped since 2022.
In 2022, the city received 1,373 applications. The following year that figure was 895 and this year, as of Aug. 31, the city received 930 applications.
Beyond receiving the applications, the city also deals with a no-show rate for the written test, the first step after your application is approved, that hovers around 50%, Todd said and data shows. For instance, in 2023, of the 895 who met the position's minimum qualifications, 488 showed up — meaning 55% of applicants didn't.
The written test is designed to measure "aptitude for and compatibility with the position", according to the city's website.
Recruitment is more difficult now compared to 10 to 20 years ago, said Fire and Police Commission Executive Director Leon Todd. He cited dissatisfaction with police following Floyd's murder and generational differences on what people want from careers and how long they want to have a career for.
"I think there are a lot of young people ... who really do, in their heart of hearts, want to go into something that is community or public service focused," Todd said. "But they don't always necessarily think of being a police officer, as something like that."
Todd’s department is attempting to counter the trends by shifting how recruitment works. The commission has begun allowing applications to be filed throughout the year. Previously, it accepted applications only during certain periods throughout the year.
It also started accepting online testing for potential candidates. Todd hopes this change will improve the 50% no-show rate for police testing. Other testing includes an oral interview, a writing sample and physical ability testing.
In a Sept. 16 meeting of the Fire and Police Commission's recruiting committee, Todd said they also have "nearly tripled" its advertising budget and added a new recruiter.
The city is looking beyond new recruitment too, recently striking a deal with the Milwaukee Police Association, the rank-and-file union for officers, allowing for lateral transfers. That allows the department to hire officers directly from other departments.
About five years ago, the department was at about 1,900 officers. Todd said growing the department’s officers to Act 12’s requirements would mean practical benefits that residents have indicated they want to see.
That’s things like higher clearance rates on crimes; faster dispatch and response times; and increased officer visibility.
"We're doing all these different things to increase our recruitment and improve our testing processes," Todd said. "So, I think we're doing everything that we can, sort of with the long view in mind, to add officers, both in the short term ... and also the long term."
A national 'crisis'
Police recruitment is far from an issue just in Milwaukee, as officials across the nation have noted.
A 2023 U.S. Department of Justice report said: "Law enforcement is at a crossroads as more officers are leaving the field through resignation or retirement and fewer qualified applicants are considering policing as a career.”
A report by the Police Executive Research Forum the same year found that law enforcement agencies were experiencing an increased number of resignations and retirements, at 66% and 65% respectively, from 2020 to 2022. At the same time, applications for open positions were down 69%, the report found.
A 2023 staffing report found in Milwaukee, since 2009, the department shrank by 16%. Starting in 2024, the city began budgeting to increase the department's size, with the goal to be at 1,645 sworn officers this year.
“It’s not a Milwaukee thing, everywhere across the country just cannot get the bodies,” Mayor Johnson said in a previous interview with the Journal Sentinel.
Earlier this year, Mateus R. Santos, an associate professor of criminology at the University of South Florida, studied why people were skipping over a potential field in law enforcement and what might change it.
“It’s awful. We’re going through a hiring crisis in law enforcement,” Santos said.
His research, published in May, surveyed why or why not a pool of 604 undergraduate college students, which he described as the best candidates for policing, would want to enter law enforcement and what factors might shift that. Santos found students were generally disinterested in the career field and worried about possible legal repercussions for making mistakes. Students were concerned about the danger of the field as well.
He said they didn’t understand the practical benefits of the career, like its pay and pension, or the legal protections.
“They don’t think policing is cool. It used to be a lot more cool and now it’s uncool,” Santos said.
The president of the police union, Alex Ayala, said his organization supports the city’s moves to fund full recruitments. But he said the biggest differentiator would be improving pay for officers. He said the union and city are currently negotiating a new contract, with the last one expiring about two years ago.
Currently, Milwaukee pays police recruits a starting salary of $47,673.69, which increases to $63,564.75 after they graduate from the police academy. The maximum pay is $84,743.87, according to a Milwaukee police officer job posting.
He suggested other departments in the state are more attractive than Milwaukee.
"You’re not addressing the root issue of why you’re getting 35 recruits," he said. "The wages are low."
Milwaukee police attempt to shift public perception
Billie Ellis is a Milwaukee police officer and one of two recruiters, along with Ralph McClain, with the department. She said the top challenge they face in recruiting new officers is the perception of policing due to police misconduct.
The most damaging misconduct issue was in 2020, when Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, with the officer maintaining his knee on Floyd until he died. Chauvin was later found guilty of murder, and it led to protests against policing across the country.
Public surveys from Pew and Gallup showed at the time public opinion on police was largely mixed, with stark differences in opinion by political affiliation and race. It appeared to be further negatively impacted – dropping to 43% confidence in 2023, according to Gallup.
Polling shows opinion of policing started to rebound recently.
Marcey Patterson, manager in the Milwaukee police’s office of community relations, engagement and recruitment, said the department has had to rebuild trust with the community following Floyd’s murder.
“In my experience, in the last two years, the community seems to welcome us better,” she said. “I think we’re just now at a space where we are rebuilding the trust with the community… I think being able to be consistent with building that trust, I think, is important.”
Milwaukee’s department has attempted to engage with the community in response, the recruiter Ellis said. In the last two years, they have emphasized police as "everyday people" in social media videos and held more events
“I think it’s getting better for us,” Ellis said, and noted it was difficult following COVID-19. “We try to humanize the badge … I think it’s starting to open people’s eyes they’re just trying to do their job.”
Meghan Stroshine, an associate professor of criminology and law studies at Marquette University, said she believed efforts to shift the image of police from "very militaristic" to one that is more community-oriented would be an effective tactic.
“I think that much of the dissatisfaction with police, the lack of trust in police, is tied to a particular type of policing − more aggressive policing," Stroshine said.
The push to change the perception comes at the same time as pressure from Act 12’s funding requirements.
But, between both, Ellis said she feels the most pressure from other officers, as retirements through the department over the last two years have created a shortage of officers.
“I see my fellow officers out there struggling, because we’re so short staffed,” she said. “Everybody’s looking at me and Ralph like, 'What are you guys doing?’”