Author
Police ‘target list’ of protesters shared among law enforcement agencies
“TPR target list,” reads the subject line of the email. It was sent last October by Wauwatosa Police Department crime analyst Dominick Ratkowski. Attached to his email was the now infamous list of people the department created and maintained since last summer. Ratkowski’s email was sent one day before the city’s curfew was activated last […]
Kenosha unrest used as main prop to pitch new anti-riot bill
Protests and unrest in Kenosha last year became the face of discussion over a Republican bill attempting to construct a punitive framework for “rioting.” The bill, AB-279, was introduced by Rep. John Spiros (R-Marshfield). A former law enforcement officer, Spiros attempted to introduce similar riot-based legislation in 2016, after Milwaukee experienced unrest and property destruction […]
One year after Jacob Blake shooting, Kenosha is still looking for answers
The incident, which started as a domestic call during a child’s birthday party, took place on a Kenosha street on a Sunday afternoon in late August. Neighbors took a cell phone video as Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey fired eight shots into Jacob Blake’s back. The video went viral, quickly igniting a firestorm. The small […]
Concerns raised over wiretap bill
Elected officials scrutinized a bill that would affect the use of certain wiretapping methods by law enforcement during a public hearing on Aug. 18. The sponsors of the bill, which specifically covers so-called pen register and trap/trace devices, argued that it simply brings Wisconsin up to speed with existing federal law. However, two members of […]
Dozens of Wisconsin lakes listed as ‘impaired
92 bodies of water have been declared “impaired” by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), including Madison’s Lake Monona. It’s a worrying prognosis, although, according to a DNR press release, the state’s waterways are improving, with over 80% of Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers recently assessed as healthy. “Placing waters on the Impaired Waters List means […]
Are anti-panhandler laws worth it?
It’s a common experience to pass by someone standing at the median of a busy intersection holding a sign with some variation on the message “anything helps,” a handful of personal belongings lying on the ground nearby. “We working for ourselves out here,” one man, going by the nickname Tone Tone, told Wisconsin Examiner. “That’s […]
More monarch habitat in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is now home to 105,000 acres of either new or enhanced habitat for monarch butterflies. It’s a major conservation effort resulting from work with the Wisconsin Monarch Collaborative, which formed in 2018. Under one umbrella volunteers, partner organizations and members of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), worked to mass-plant milkweed and wild flowers. […]
New standards for manure spreading released by DATCP
New standards have been released for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manure spreading restrictions that affect 16 counties where bedrock is especially vulnerable to groundwater. The new technical standards were published by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and apply to manure spreading on silurian bedrock areas. In those areas, the […]
Private security company pitched services to Kenosha Sheriff following unrest
Days after unrest in Kenosha last year caught the world’s attention, Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth received an email with an offer. It came from Bill Tallen, executive vice president of training for the private security company Distributed Security Inc. (DSI). “As a retired federal LEO,” Tallen wrote on Aug. 31, 2020, “I sympathize 100% […]
Sen. Carpenter blasts DNR for fall wolf hunt plans
A decision by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to carry out another wolf hunt this fall drew immediate backlash from elected officials. Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) blasted the DNR’s move, highlighting the prior hunt in February as “the result of a last minute court order,” as well as “poorly planned” and void of adequate […]
Anderson John Doe decision sends shockwaves through Milwaukee, Wauwatosa
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn Yamahiro has found probable cause to charge former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah in the death of Jay Anderson Jr. The decision comes after weeks of testimony in which Yamahiro directly questioned witnesses in a John Doe hearings on the 2016 shooting. As a result of Yamahiro’s decision, which […]
DNR and state partners push for “safer water for all” campaign
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is launching a Safe Water For All campaign to inform the public about the state of Wisconsin’s drinking water. As part of the campaign, three panel discussions starting on Wednesday are focusing on making water safer for communities across Wisconsin. Whether the issue is lead lateral pipes, nitrate contamination […]