Thursday, October 17, 2024

Lionel Railroad Club of Southeast Wisconsin hosting open house

From The Journal Times.com:

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.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/lionel-railroad-club-of-southeast-wisconsin-hosting-open-house/article_d77168f2-0d58-11ef-9911-2f0fe08be0ee.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

Cab Calloway - Kickin' The Gong Around

Cartels 'permitted' to shoot at Border Patrol agents | NewsNation Now

Racine Common Council passes boycott-related ordinances

From The Journal Times.com:

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.

Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher ( Remastered 720p )

Voters Warned Ballots Flushed Down Toilet Will No Longer Be Counted | Onion News Network

Stellantis could weigh closing down plants and eliminating brands


Stellantis has destroyed the Chrysler brand.  Their CEO says "nothing is off the table" in its efforts to become profitable.  So, would the CEO accept a cut in his multi-million dollar salary?  Of course not.  Just more lies . . .  Stellantis has pissed away its profits and now it whines about being a victim.

Cops Gone Wild: Seven former HPD officers charged once again for botched Harding Street raid

Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to pay $880 million to settle over 1,300 sexual abuse claims


The Catholic Church should be shut down as a child sex trafficking organization.  Why are the "leaders" of this horrific institution allowed to walk free?  I went to a Catholic high school that allowed a priest to molest boys.  He'd throw parties with free alcohol for the boys.  NOTHING was ever done about it.  The priest was transferred to Milwaukee where he continued to molest children until his dying days.  The Catholic Church figures that if it ignores these crimes long enough, all of the victims will die away.  What a disgusting "church!"

3 years after Supreme Court ruling, local scam victims receiving less assistance from government

Report on first Trump assassination attempt finds Secret Service requires fundamental reform

Cops Gone Wild: Homeowner Jailed for 2 Days After He Says Police Went to Wrong House


So, why did he spend two days in jail?  Was the sheriff deputies' pride hurt?

Social media faces big changes under UK watchdog Ofcom rules | BBC News

Cops Gone Wild: Video shows alleged illegal arrests; Metro sergeant charged

Collective Peent

Former DOJ official questions timing of Trump election interference evidence release

Cops Gone Wild: Mantua police chief placed on leave after brutal interaction caught on video

FBI revises crime data, reveals increase after initial decline reported

Nearly 10 million pounds of meat, chicken recalled over listeria risk

Museum not ADA 'exempt,' must accommodate disabled patrons | FOX6 News Milwaukee


Your Racine County Reporter: Tahleel Mohieldin

Racine alders return to common council, hear reactions from residents


Scholarship fund created for Racine firefighter's unborn baby

Trump's ALL-WOMEN Town Hall, Says He’s the Father of IVF & Dave Bautista Shreds Trump's Masculinity

Milwaukee police recruitment under new pressure with state funding at stake

From JSOnline:

David Clarey
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


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?’”

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Daily Dose of Internet: Getting Fired On Your First Day

Cops Gone Wild: Mooresville Police officer arrested after alleged misconduct

Who knew about ex-Cincinnati priest long before his arrest for child rape?


The Catholic Church has been hiding this stuff for centuries.  They are the swine that inflict themselves upon children and then preach about God and love and truth.  Lying pigs.

Cops Gone Wild: The Freedom BLOC calls for Akron police chief to be fired over use of force case

Kenosha County school staffer fired amid alleged sex assault | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Cops Gone Wild: Chicago inspector general asks some CPD officer be banned from law enforcement

Trump’s Mad at “Loser” Jimmy Kimmel Again, Holds a DOOZY of a Town Hall & Attacks Kamala’s Health

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Ex-Basketball Player Shot Dead After Slashing Cop


This is a good cop.  He had no recourse other than to defend himself.  This is the type of hero that patrols the streets of our cities and the byways of our countryside every day.

2,551-pound giant pumpkin sets new record

Why taking your car to a dealership for repairs might be your only option soon

Foul play not suspected in death of 19-year-old Racine Horlick graduate's 8-story fall

From JSOnline:

April Helms
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Police say alcohol may have played a factor in the falling death of a 19-year-old Kent State University student from Racine, but no charges have been filed regarding the incident Thursday, Oct. 10.

Jayden Brieske, a sophomore studying business and a 2023 graduate of Racine Horlick, was at the University Inn off-campus apartments on South Water Street in Kent, Ohio, with two friends when they decided to climb onto the roof. When Brieske was climbing down, he slipped and fell, hitting concrete. Brieske died Friday evening at Summa Akron City Hospital.

Lt. Mike Lewis from the Kent State police department commended the quick response from Brieske's two friends, who gave first aid and called 911.

"We have no reason to suspect foul play, although we believe alcohol did play a factor in this incident," Lewis said. "There are lessons to be learned from this tragedy, and there will be an appropriate time for those discussions.  We express our deepest sympathies to Jayden's family and his friends."

Kent State student dies:Night of fun takes tragic turn after Racine Horlick graduate falls from building, dies

Several Kent police officers were called to the University Inn just before 1 a.m., according to a report from the Kent city police. They found Brieske lying on the ground, face down, bleeding profusely. He was breathing heavily but responding officers could not get a response from him.

One of the friends at the scene, age 20, told police that he and the other friend, 19, had been drinking alcoholic beverages at the apartment they shared at the University Inn. At around 10:30 p.m. Oct. 9, Brieske stopped by to hang out with them. They left to purchase more alcohol and came back. Eventually, they decided to go to the rooftop of the eight-story University Inn to explore.

The three men went to the laundry room on the fourth floor where they started to climb up the balconies to the roof, near the rooftop restaurant. They explored the area for about half an hour. At some point, Brieske became separated from the other two. The two friends climbed down the way they came, and saw Brieske lying on the ground below. The two men went to the front of the building where they climbed down to the top floor balcony and took the stairs to the ground, where Brieske was lying.

According to Kent police, Brieske appears to have slipped off a narrow part of the roof while he was sliding across behind his two friends. The roof, officers reported, was "extremely slippery due to the dust and moisture accumulated on the surface."

According to police, both friends were hysterical and crying when they talked to responding officers.

Both men complied with a police request for a preliminary breath test. One had a result of 0.128 and the other had a 0.196. They were both told they would not be charged with prohibitions for drinking while underage. Responding officers gave the two contact information for mental health professionals. Kent State police also responded to provide resources to the students.

Police reported seeing broken glass globes on the south side of the roof; a maintenance worker told police the glass had not been broken that morning. According to Kent police, one of Brieske's friends broke the glass. A fire extinguisher later confirmed to belong at the University Inn was found in the driveway on the north side of the building. It appeared to have been dropped from the rooftop.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2024/10/15/alcohol-may-have-had-role-in-falling-death-of-racine-horlick-graduate-kent-state/75693109007/

Also see: https://www.jtirregulars.com/2024/10/night-of-fun-takes-tragic-turn-after.html

Tensions create fractured alliance among Biden, Harris staff: Report

Insider: Culture at new Minnesota cannabis agency led to several staff members calling it quits


The government screws up whatever it touches.

Supreme Court to hear case of man who failed drug test after ingesting mislabeled product with THC

NYPD on alleged migrant gang out of Times Square


Thank you to the Biden administration for encouraging these foreign criminals to come here illegally and prey upon us.

NASA launches mission to find signs of life on Jupiter moon

Fallout continues after thieves steal merchandise from freight train in Chicago


Just another consequences-free crime in the USA.  Manufacturers and distributors aren't going to pay for these crimes.  Instead, you do every time that you shop.

Southeast Wisconsin weather: Morning showers and a freeze warning

Cops Gone Wild: Bayside police hired a sheriff's lieutenant who was demoted and suspended. Here's why.

From JSOnline:

Claudia Levens
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In June, a former Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office lieutenant resigned after being investigated and disciplined for witnessing an attack on a corrections sergeant and walking away, and for negligently firing his service gun in the workplace.

Three days later, he was hired by the Bayside Police Department.

In May, two investigations jointly conducted by the sheriff's office and the Milwaukee Police Department found that Jeremy Franke had violated standards of conduct during the two incidents in March, according to investigation records obtained by the Journal Sentinel and first reported by TMJ4.

Investigators found that Franke had failed to act while witnessing an attack on a corrections sergeant and later had negligently fired his service gun in a work locker room around other deputies.

Franke was demoted to deputy and given a 60-day unpaid suspension for the incidents.

Bayside hired Franke shortly before the suspension was set to start, and while Bayside hired him at essentially the same level the Sheriff's Office demoted him to, Franke avoided the suspension.

Why did Franke walk away from the attack? What did the investigations find? And why would a suburban police department make such a hire, and do it so quickly? Here's what the Journal Sentinel found out:

Investigation found Franke witnessed the attack and failed to act in violation of standards of conduct

On March 5, MCSO sergeant Randall Wilborn was ambushed by a recently released inmate outside the Milwaukee County Jail and stabbed several times. He suffered life-threatening injuries, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said at the time.

“I was focused on fighting for my life,” Wilborn told investigators.

On March 7, the alleged attacker, Ronell Hart, was charged with attempted undefined-degree intentional homicide.

Franke told investigators he "saw the whole thing" unfold from across the intersection and walked away from the attack with the intent to call for help in the county jail lobby, since he had left his service weapon at home, according to the investigation records.

When Wilborn eventually approached Franke, asking for help, Franke realized it was his colleague. He then escorted Wilborn inside the county jail lobby and called for emergency medical service help, per the investigation.

Deputy Director at the Sheriff's Office David Rugaber told investigators the incident negatively impacted staff morale, and many felt that "Franke failed to act and could have done something to stop or mitigate the attack."

Franke had also told a sergeant he thought the altercation was merely "two bums fighting," according to the investigation.

"A human life was a human life," Rugaber told investigators. "And that really kind of wore upon the lieutenants a little bit."

Investigators eventually found Franke had violated standards of conduct.

They also found Franke had driven to work that morning without his service gun, which he'd left at home, in violation of a standard requiring members to carry duty firearms while operating a MCSO vehicle.

Several attempts to reach Wilborn over the course of two weeks were unsuccessful.

Attempts to reach Franke were redirected to then-Bayside Chief of Police Tom Liebenthal. 

Investigators also found Franke had negligently fired his service gun

Just one week later, Franke found himself at the center of another internal investigation when he fired his service gun on March 14 in a substation locker room while other deputies were present.

Records from that investigation show that in doing so, Franke again violated standards of conduct.

Franke told investigators he had no idea how his gun fired a bullet and his finger was nowhere near the trigger.

Two separate supervisors analyzed the weapon and found it was functioning properly. They each told investigators that the trigger was pulled with "100 percent" certainty.

Franke resigned before disciplinary action went into effect and was rehired at Bayside

On May 1, Franke was demoted from lieutenant to deputy as a result of the first incident and was suspended for 60 days for the second.

Both disciplinary actions were set to take effect on June 11, but Franke resigned on June 7.

Three days later, the Bayside Police Department posted a picture on Facebook celebrating Franke's first day as a police officer in the village.

Bayside officials valued Franke's experience amidst ongoing staffing troubles

Former Bayside Police Chief TomLiebenthal, who retired in August, two months after hiring Franke, said the police department was aware of the investigation and the disciplinary actions when they hired Franke.

Liebenthal, who previously worked at the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, said that during the "thorough and rigorous" hiring process, Franke had been forthcoming about his time at the sheriff's office.

Liebenthal said the department hired Franke as a police officer, a position comparable to the deputy position the sheriff's office had demoted him t

He said Franke was hired during a time when the department faced heightened staffing challenges. The department valued his 22 years of experience in law enforcement, since Bayside officers average around six years of experience per person, Liebenthal said.

"It has been a big challenge to maintain staffing levels that are that are consistent with quality people over the last few years," said Liebenthal. "It's one of the most significant challenges that we face in this career right now."

In the months before Franke was hired, the department was preparing to be short five of the 13 total staff roles budgeted for, Village Manager Andy Pederson said. Pederson also independently reviews new police officer hires.

Two officers had previously resigned, following an investigation from The Badger Project, which revealed their names were included on a leaked membership list for the far-right, anti-government group the Oath Keepers. Others were injured or had expressed they were looking to leave the department, Liebenthal said.

As of Sept. 30, the department was only recruiting for one officer vacancy and is working through the recruitment process to fill the police chief position, Pederson said.

Bayside police chief retired after seeing hiring processes through, including Franke's

Franke's hiring came at the cusp of a period of transition at the Bayside Police Department, Liebenthal said.

Before the department hired Franke, Liebenthal had been hoping to retire but stayed on to help recruit more officers and oversee the transitions.

"I couldn't in good conscience leave at that point, so I decided to stay to get us through the staffing situation," he said. Liebenthal ended up submitting retirement paperwork on July 16.

His last day with Bayside Police was Aug. 16 when he was succeeded by Jeff Roemer, who is serving as interim police chief.

Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/north/2024/10/15/why-bayside-police-hired-an-officer-disciplined-by-another-agency/74702490007/

This local story is an example of why I started the "Cops Gone Wild" series: bad cops are rarely punished and, unless decertified, just move on to another police department where they continue to act badly and inflict harm upon innocent citizens.  This occurs across the country.  Taxpayers pay for bad cops' mistakes and their qualified immunity protects them from responsibility for their crimes.  Judges, too, are just as bad as the bad cops.  These are protected individuals who do not play by the same rules as the rest of us.