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Pocan says racism is ‘a central policy in the White House’

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The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to vote Tuesday to condemn President Donald Trump’s racist tweets targeting minority women in Congress, and Wisconsin’s 2nd District Democrat, Representative Mark Pocan believes that may send a message.

“I think it will pass tonight. I think it’s a start of a message. But I don’t know how we’re going to stop, I mean, the problem with the president is not just his remarks on Twitter,” Pocan said during a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

Pocan, who recently visited a facility in Florida where migrant kids are being held, says Trump’s policies on the border are explicitly racist. As for Trump’s Twitter tirades, “I really wish that whoever invented Twitter, we could have a conversation, and a time machine with,” Pocan said. “You know, the fact that we write reams of paper about the president’s 280 characters is a problem, but unfortunately the problem is the president, that’s how he communicates and unfortunately is this case the racist tropes that he put out there have absolutely no reason to exist in the professional environment that we have.”

“I mean his entire policy at the border is a racist policy. It’s based on stopping people with brown and black skin from coming into the United States. And until we can change all of that, we unfortunately have what appears to be a person who is a racist who is president of the United States. You have to put it that bluntly.”

Pocan said he had not seen all the responses from Republican members of the state’s House delegation. “But clearly, when you say people should go back to where they came from . . . that’s just ridiculous. It’s everything that’s wrong with having racism as a central policy in the White House,” Pocan said. “People are just so tired of that type of acrimony happening, that we need to I think as a country do country above party.”

Following up on his racist tweets about four minority lawmakers, the president went after the women Democrats again Tuesday and questioned why Congress is not rebuking them. He also said he doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.

Four Wausau teens face charges in near-fatal attack on teen

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A mugshot of Maurice Bell from the Wausau Police Department

Four Wausau area teens are under arrest for allegedly beating a fifth teen with a baseball bat.

Wausau police say the attack happened on July 1st. Two 15-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 17-year old are all facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The 17 year-old has been named as Michael Hrobsky, while the others are all in the youth court system.

The unnamed victim remains in the hospital in critical condition.

This attack also has connections to a previous drive-by shooting in Wausau from July 3rd, where the suspects wanted in that shooting are said to have acted in retaliation for this attack.

Police have one person under arrest from that shooting and are looking for another suspect, 33-year-old Maurice Bell, who may have fled to Chicago.

Walker’s new job precludes run for office in 2022

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Governor Scott Walker (WRN photo)

It’s a new gig for Scott Walker. Walker tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he has accepted a full time job running the conservative group Young America’s Foundation.

Walker lost his bid for a third term as governor to Democrat Tony Evers, and says his new job will preclude another run for that office, or for U.S. Senate.  A post on the Young America’s Foundation website praises Walker. “Governor Walker courageously advanced freedom in a state that once was a “progressive” bastion. He championed right-to-work laws, right-to-life causes, and defended Wisconsin’s wage earners from over-reaching bureaucrats and tax collectors.”

Walker told the Journal Sentinel that he will not assume the presidency of the organization until 2021, when the current president steps down, and has committed to serve at least four years.

“I hope Scott Walker’s new employers in the D.C. area have a good contract with him,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler, who noted that Walker launched his campaign for president in 2014, after earlier saying his plan was to serve as governor for four more years. “I’m not even thinking about taking Walker off the list of potential Republican contenders for the 2022 Senate seat.”

Young America’s Foundation was founded in 1969. The group’s stated mission is “to educate and inspire young people on Traditional values, Limited Government, Judeo-Christian values, and Conservatism”

 

Sushi condiment cause of fire at two Madison restaurants

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The Madison fire department is putting out a warning to Japanese and sushi restaurants after two of them had fires this spring due to an unusual source.

Investigator Kara Nelson says the fires started when baskets of fried breading used to top sushi rolls caught on fire spontaneously. 

“A lot of us are very familiar with the process of spontaneous combustion. It happens with haystacks, it happens with mulch.”

Nelson says that the crumbs were fried and put into a colander to dry out, but were left hot overnight, catching on fire from the residual heat. They’re taking a closer look to try and see how these fires start and how they can be prevented. 

“Is it the type of oil that they’re using? Is it the temperature they’re cooking it at? Is it the batter they’re making? And this is out of our scope, this needs to go to a laboratory.”

She’s hoping that proper research will help business owners have a plan of best practices for dealing with the topping.

The two stores had combined damages of around 575-thousand dollars.

 

Refunds coming to many Wisconsin utility customers

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Customers of the state’s four largest public utility companies should see refunds due to low energy costs in 2018.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that customers are due about $25 million in refunds, with the bulk of that money going to Madison Gas and Electric ratepayers.

Officials from Madison Gas and Electric say they collected about $9.5 million more than they should have thanks to lower gas prices and the acquisition of a portion of the Forward Energy wind farm. Their average customer will see a refund of about $20 on their upcoming bills.

Representatives from WPS say they will also be issuing refunds totaling $7.1 million, or around $5.25 per customer.

Xcel Energy and Alliant Energy customers will also get refunds.

The state Public Service Commission sets utility rate prices every two years based on fixed expenses and the average cost of fuel. When those projections are off by more than 2% above actual costs, the difference must be refunded to customers with interest.

 

WSAU

Point Brewery among top Wisconsin winners at national beer awards

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A number of Wisconsin breweries took home medals in the 2019 US Open Beer Championships.

The Stevens Point Brewery took home a gold medal this year for their Point Special Lager. Spokesperson Julie Birrenkott says they beat out 50 other beers for the honor. 

“To even get a chance to compete with all these other breweries and win an award is really something now because of how saturated the market is.” 

Birrenkott says they are really proud because they consider Point Special to be their flagship brew. 

“Our staple, if you will, of our Point Special beer that everyone knows and loves, especially in the area.”

The brewery also took home a bronze medal for their Whole Hog Lord James Scotch in the Scottish Ale category.

Sprecher, Ahnapee and Lakefront were the only other Wisconsin breweries to win multiple awards.

 

WSAU

State Ag department seeks comments on changes to rules for large farms

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The state ag department is considering changes to how the state regulates large scale livestock farms.

The rule is designed to provide uniform local regulation of livestock facilities with 500 or more animal units.

Kara O’Connor with Farmers Union is glad the board approved the draft rule for public hearings.

“They made clear that they weren’t endorsing every line and sentence of the rules, what they voted for is getting the public’s input, and I think that’s absolutely the right decision.” 

She says it’s worth it to take another look. “There are technologies on the market for livestock operations that simply didn’t exist in 2016 when these rules were first promulgated, and operations that want to use those new technologies don’t have that option.”

 John Holevoet with the Dairy Business Association opposed the changes. “The question is, really, is this keeping what was originally envisioned by those who created livestock siting?” 

He says there is no reason to send this proposal to public hearing.

“The intent of the legislature when they were talking about this four year review was really to look back to see if there were new technological advances, things that change in the industry substantially from a technology perspective that required updating. It wasn’t to necessarily do a wholesale revision of the rule.”

The board voted to advance the proposed rule to public hearing to gather public input, but several members made it clear they don’t endorse everything in the draft.

Senator Baldwin says Dems need to step up against continued attacks against Affordable Care Act

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The Trump administration and Democrats were in federal court on Tuesday delivering arguments in a case that challenges the Affordable Care Act.

Senator Tammy Baldwin says this is just more indication that President Trump doesn’t care about the healthcare for average Americans. 

“He’s in court right now, trying to take people’s private health insurance away. And it would impact millions of Americans.”

Wisconsin had previously been a part of that lawsuit before Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul pulled Wisconsin out of the hearings. Baldwin says Republicans just can’t let the health care bill go.

“Whether it was the fight to repeal the Affordable Care Act, whether it was the administration’s various rules that have been put into place that weaken or sabotage the Affordable Care Act.”

Congressman Ron Kind says that half of all Wisconsinites could lose their health care coverage if the ACA is repealed and pre-existing conditions protections are lifted. 

Expect some big detours on the way to Hodag music festival this weekend

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The annual Hodag Country Music Festival starts tomorrow, and if you’re on your way up north to Rhinelander to see the show, be aware there’s some sticky traffic problems in the area. 

Captain Tyler Young with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office says they’re expecting several years of problems, owing to long term construction.

“And we foresee this being an issue again next year as they continue working on the Stevens Street Project.”

They are especially concerned about high-profile vehicles like campers and travel trailers. “If they get stuck in the City of Rhinelander, they’re going to be rerouted on city streets with tight turns and vehicles parked on the streets, and it’s going to be hard to get that type of traffic through.”

Young says they’ve worked with the Wisconsin DOT and Hodag promoters to make sure all routes to Highway 17 will be clearly marked. You can find a link to the detour info at hodag.com, or on the state’s 511 traffic site.

Sheboygan police search for vandal who burned Hmong Veterans Memorial

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Sheboygan Police want to find the person responsible for starting a fire on the Hmong Veterans Memorial over the 4th of July Holiday.

Lieutenant Bill Adams says the damage is already repaired, but they still want to know who did it. 

“Well any time somebody defaces any property, but especially something that has a lot of meaning to a community, it’s something that people care about. So we’re very interested to know who could have attempted to do damage to it, but fortunately it seems the damage is very minor.”

Adams says the damage appears to have been done with a lighter and fluid.

If you have any information, contact Sheboygan CrimeStoppers at 877-283-8436.