Anne Johnston, 64, of Twin Lakes – Obituary
3 hours ago
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Community celebrates National Night Out Tuesday
From The Journal Times.com:
Milana Doné
Milana Doné
RACINE — Racine County law enforcement agencies and community members gathered to celebrate police departments and the Sheriff's Office Tuesday evening as part of this year's National Night Out celebration.
Monument Square was one location for festivities. Local organizations manned booths, and police officers and sheriff's deputies interacted with locals.
Racine Police officer Gabby Hood spoke to attendees, saying she has fond memories of growing up in Racine and attending National Night Out as a child.
Representative Angelina Cruz for the Wisconsin State Assembly said community residents are more likely to help each other or call their local law enforcement for help if they know them.
"Communities are safest when neighbors actually know one another," she said.
58-year-old facing child sexual assault allegations dating back to the 1980s
From The Journal Times.com:
Milana Doné
Milana Doné
RACINE — A 58-year-old man is facing charges following allegations of child sexual assault spanning several decades.
Trevor Stratton was charged July 16 with one count of first-degree sexual assault of a child younger than 12, three counts of first-degree sexual assault against a child and one count of incest.
Each sexual assault charge is a class B felony. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 60 years of imprisonment.
Allegations
The investigation into Stratton began April 21, according to the Racine County Sheriff's Office, and reportedly identified alleged Wisconsin victims from the 1980s through at least 2010.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Stratton had been employed at an educational institution in Union Grove for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Investigators received information alleging that Stratton may have abused a student there, but RCSO said the allegation has not been substantiated.
Similar allegations occurred involving Stratton in Glynn County, Georgia, where he had been employed by an organization providing care and educational services to children with developmental disabilities, RCSO said.
A warrant was issued for his arrest July 21.
Stratton voluntarily appeared in court July 29, according to RCSO. He was taken into custody and a $10,000 cash bond was set.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a motion hearing Aug. 24.
"Cases involving the sexual abuse of children are among the most disturbing investigations our detectives undertake," Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said. "We recognize that it can take victims years, or even decades, to comes forward, and we commend the courage of those who have done so in this case."
RCSO is asking anyone with information about Stratton or who believes they might have had contact with him that is relevant to this investigation to call Investigator Brady Winger at 262-636-3174.
We Energies starts new renewable energy plants to serve data centers
From JSOnline:
Francesca Pica
Francesca Pica
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Developers have broken ground on three major We Energies projects as power demand from artificial intelligence data centers grows.
We Energies announced Aug. 4 that construction began for three clean energy projects that combined can power around 100,000 homes. They include a $443 million solar and battery project in Rock County, $355 million wind farm in Iowa and Grant counties, and $106 million battery storage facility in Walworth County.
About half of each facility’s capacity will serve the $15 billion Port Washington data center project run by Vantage Data Centers, Oracle and OpenAI. Under the terms of We Energies’ new data center electric rate, the tech companies must cover an equivalent portion of construction costs.
Chicago-based developer Invenergy will build the power plants before selling them to three utility companies. We Energies will own a majority of each facility, with the rest split between Madison Gas and Electric and the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.
All three projects were approved by the state Public Service Commission. They will create around 450 construction jobs, We Energies says.
The facilities come as statewide energy demand is expected to rise 40% by 2032. Large data centers like the Port Washington and Mount Pleasant campuses are responsible for most of the increase, according to estimates from state regulators.
In response, We Energies parent company WEC Energy Group is eyeing $20 billion in new energy investments over the next few years. We Energies has designated several other new solar, wind and natural gas projects as resources for data centers, some of which are still waiting approval.
“These renewable energy projects are part of our strategy to strengthen reliability through a balanced mix of Wisconsin-based energy sources, including renewables and state-of-the-art natural gas plants,” We Energies President Mike Hooper said in a statement Aug. 4.
The proposed natural gas-fired plants include a 1.1-gigawatt facility in Kenosha County and a 342-megawatt project in Walworth County, both built by Invenergy. They total $2.3 billion and are pending PSC approval.
Residents and environmental advocates voiced opposition to the plants at public hearings in July, saying they serve a few tech giants at the expense of public health.
We Energies says it has more than three gigawatts of solar and wind projects and 600 megawatts of battery storage in service, under construction or pending PSC approval.
Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Harley-Davidson dealerships on track to 'double' profits in 2026
From JSOnline:
Ricardo Torres
Ricardo Torres
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Harley-Davidson dealerships are on a good path as the company is expecting profits to "double" for the network.
Harley CEO Artie Starrs often calls the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker's dealership network the best in the industry and is focused on the health of those dealerships.
"Based on current trends, we expect domestic dealer profitability to double in 2026," Starrs said on an earnings call with analysts and investors on July 23.
Harley-Davidson reported a second quarter profit of $80 million, down roughly 26% from the same time last year.
The company also reported motorcycle shipments of 39,200 for the quarter which is a 9% increase from 2025.
Dealer health is a major component to the company's plans to return to growth.
Inventory levels have been a balancing act the company has had to monitor since Starrs took over as top executive in the fall of 2026.
"Nearly every dealer was telling me and us, that they had too much inventory," Starrs said of his conversations at the time he joined Harley-Davidson. "Today, the vast majority believe it's either just right or they're asking for more bikes."
Starrs said the company can improve inventory even more by finding the right balance of makes and models to suit the dealerships.
Harley-Davidson raised its financial guidance and now expects to ship between 133,500 and 138,500 units compared to a range that was 3,500 cyclers lower.
The company also adjusted its outlook on its operating income. It now expects to have a operating income of between $10 million to $50 million in 2026. Harley-Davidson previously expected the operating income to range between a $40 million loss to a $10 million profit.
Monday, August 3, 2026
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Racine Zoo says goodbye to Chanbai, its Amur tiger
From The Journal Times.com:
Milana Doné
Milana Doné
RACINE — A tiger at the Racine Zoo died July 26, outliving the average lifespan of her wild counterparts.
Changbai the Amur tiger was born at the Philadelphia Zoo on May 24, 2007, making her 19 at the time of her passing. Wild Amur tigers generally live between 10 and 15 years.
She lived at the Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut and the Columbus Zoo in Ohio before residing in Wisconsin. In Columbus, Changbai was featured in the National Geographic program, "Secrets of the Zoo."
Changbai came to the Racine Zoo in 2023.
According to a news release from the zoo, the carnivore team will remember her strong will, fierce independence, stunning beauty and elegance. She could often be found stalking the staff as they went about their days.
The zoo said Chanbai often would hide and watch keepers work, waiting for them to notice her and offer her favorite snacks. Other times, she took long naps in the sun, regardless of the outside temperatures.
According to the zoo, Chanbai would shred paper catalogs and cardboard boxes into small pieces, especially when they were sprayed with her favorite scent — root beer extract.
Zoo staff tracked Changbai's known medical issues throughout her stay and trained her to participate in her own medical care by presenting her abdomen, teeth, paws and tail, which helped staff maintain her health and detect any issues.
Changbai's health quickly declined early this summer, and she was euthanized July 26 while surrounded by her favorite staff members.
Friday, July 31, 2026
Voters bring data center, AI concerns to Wisconsin governor candidates
From JSOnline:
Francesca PicaClaudia LevensJaeha JangIsabella Russomanno Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Francesca PicaClaudia LevensJaeha JangIsabella Russomanno Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
For a growing number of Wisconsin residents, the data center debate is personal. And that’s what they told candidates for governor face-to-face in Milwaukee July 29.
The five Democratic candidates for governor met at Turner Hall to discuss data centers and artificial intelligence at a town hall hosted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Presumptive Republican nominee Tom Tiffany was invited but declined to attend.
The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 11.
Following a debate hosted by Journal Sentinel political reporter Jessie Opoien, the candidates heard questions about data center policy and other matters directly from attendees during informal discussions.
Here’s what audience members wanted to know:
Should Wisconsin pause new data center development?
Allison Mally, 22, lives in a small village near Wisconsin Rapids, where a data center proposal surfaced in the spring. Those plans are on hold after the city passed stricter permitting requirements in May.
Meanwhile, some area residents are calling for a moratorium on new data center development – including Mally.
“The Wisconsin River is one of the most important lifebloods in the area because we have the cranberry industry just to the south of us,” Mally said. “Not to mention the possibility of rates going up with the utility and electric bills.”
Mally asked Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who opposes a statewide data center moratorium, what he thought about Wisconsin Rapids’ proposal. Crowley said the decision to pause data center development should rest with local municipalities, who can better weigh the risks and benefits of such projects for their residents.
If a local community doesn't want a data center and implements a moratorium, "that's perfect," Crowley said.
Mally still favors a statewide pause proposed by state Rep. Francesca Hong, the front runner.
Aryana Khan, 20, also made the three-hour trip from Wisconsin Rapids with her friend Cloey Hilliker, 23.
Khan has seen the local fervor around data center concerns in her own community. Around 500 people had attended a local town hall event on the proposal in the city, which took place in April days before the city voted on permitting requirements. Khan had volunteered at the event.
How should Wisconsin regulate AI use?
But when Khan approached state Sen. Kelda Roys' table on July 29, she wanted to know her perspective on the use and regulation of AI tools, which data centers serve as the physical infrastructure for.
Khan asked for Roys' thoughts on the “surge in Flock cameras” and other AI surveillance technology that gathers data about peoples’ likenesses.
Roys said surveillance data usage and privacy issues are critical to her campaign, one she wished the candidates had spoken more about during the panel.
Roys said her policy platform includes ways to regulate big tech companies and address everything from bots raising the prices of concert tickets to addictive social media platforms targeting kids to the weaponization of drones to protecting privacy from Flock cameras.
“I didn’t know much about (Roys) before I came here today. But by the end of it, it’s between her and Francesca,” Khan said.
“I think Kelda is focusing on broad legislative and executive actions around data centers. She has her mind on many different aspects. Whereas Francesca laser focused on a moratorium first and foremost.”
Hilliker asked former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes about what he’d do to address the negative mental health impacts of AI chatbots, dubbed “AI psychosis.” She also wanted to know how he’d regulate AI use to protect workers vulnerable from large-scale layoffs.
Barnes told them he’d work with state agencies to create rules about AI use that best fit the needs of different industries from health care to agriculture. He also said federal lawmakers have failed to properly address big tech’s negative mental health impacts for years.
Hilliker appreciated Barnes’ willingness to address AI from a public mental health perspective. But she's still leaning toward Hong, who she says is better able to motivate underrepresented and previously disengaged voters.
“I think we’re looking for more of a fight,” she said.
Barnes ended his campaign for governor July 30.
How should Wisconsin manage its power grid?
Logan Owens, 19, works in computing for Northwestern Mutual. He's noticed the increased attention to his field.
“It's kind of odd to watch my job become a core issue in the governor's race,” he said.
Owens wanted to test candidates’ knowledge of the power grid, including how they feel about permitting for new power plants and high-voltage transmission lines. Many of these projects are being built to service large data centers, and Owens worries they could lead to higher electric bills.
Owens said some candidates dodged the more technical aspects of utility-related questions, though he was impressed by Dept. of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan’s grasp of power grid issues. For now, he’s undecided but also likes Hong and Crowley.
“Talking to these people directly and getting to ask my kind of silly, very hyper-specific questions, I don't always expect the greatest answer, but it's just the opportunity to ask that really has value to me,” he said.
Owens said the ability to speak one-on-one with candidates allows him to see what they have to offer beyond canned soundbytes.
“Ultimately, you either see them in attack ads, you see them in ads, or you see them repeating the same slogans,” he said. “And I think it's nice to be able to throw my question in and say, hey, what do you think about high-voltage power lines?”
City seeking public input for renaming the former Cesar Chavez Community Center
From The Journal Times.com:
Holly Gilvary
Holly Gilvary
RACINE — Residents are being asked to submit suggestions for renaming the community center at Douglas Park, formerly known as the Cesar Chavez Community Center.
The city has launched of an ad hoc committee to gather public input and recommend a new name for the facility.
Following news released in March that United Farmer Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez had sexually assaulted co-founder Dolores Huerta, as well as other young women in the movement, Racine Mayor Cory Mason proposed that the city change the name of the facility to the Dolores Huerta Community Center.
"After learning about the horrific reports that Cesar Chavez sexually assaulted young women, I believe our community deserves a name that better reflects the values we hold today," Mason said in a news release. "That's why I'm asking residents to help identify a name that honors our community and the people this center serves."
Mason appointed State Assembly Rep. Angelina Cruz, D-Racine, to chair the committee.
Cruz will lead the public engagement process, including accepting name suggestions from residents and recruiting community members interested in serving on the ad hoc committee, according to the city.
Residents can email name suggestions to Rep.Cruz@legis.wisconsin.gov or call 888-534-0062. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 1.
The city is following the same process that was used during the community center's previous renaming by establishing an ad hoc committee to gather public input and develop a recommendation. The committee will review residents' responses and recommend a single name to the Racine Board of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services.
The PRCS Board will consider the recommendation before forwarding it to the Common Council for final consideration later this fall, according to the city.
The city said it will share additional information about the ad hoc committee and the renaming process as it becomes available.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
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