Traffic crashes down because tickets are up, chief tells service club
Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey says he is not big on crime stats. They’re just numbers, he says.
And in general Kenosha’s crime numbers are going in the right direction — down, he said Thursday.
But the most dramatic decrease in the city’s police related numbers is traffic accidents, Morrissey told a meeting of the Kenosha Area Noon Optimist Club.
Traffic crashes last year were down 32 percent over the year before, Morrissey said.
One reason, Morrissey said, is that another number was up — traffic citations.
Illinois exhibit company moving to Pleasant Prairie
Pleasant Prairie village President John Steinbrink at the press conference. /Submitted photo
Catalyst Exhibits, Inc., will receive a $500,000 loan from the Community Development Block Grant–Economic Development (CDBG-ED) program of the Department of Commerce to relocate its operation from Illinois to Pleasant Prairie, Gov. Scott Walker announced today.
The governor attended an announcement of the move today in Pleasant Prairie.
RecPlex to host free Kids Expo on March 19
All are invited to RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, March 19 for a fun-filled lineup at the Kids Expo.
The Kids Expo is free and open to the public. Families attending the expo will find a dynamic mix of exhibitors. Nearly 50 exhibitors will be on hand providing demonstrations, products, information and activities related to youth and families. Special youth-oriented activities include: on-stage entertainment every half hour; children’s Passport Raffles; an obstacle course sponsored by Pleasant Prairie Fire & Rescue; an appearance by Rico, the Pleasant Prairie Police Department’s K-9 friend; a free inflatables area; and more.
Opinion: Good teachers deserve good comp and taxpayers deserve relief
People sputtered, spit and spewed my damnation, private and public, and probably wanted to do very bad things to my privates in public, when I wrote a few weeks ago in support of the so-called budget repair bill, and urged the 14 wandering senators to come home.
Now it is done.
But is it really?
Eh, not really …
Medicine Collection Day is April 16
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A Medicine Collection Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 16.
Kenosha County residents can take their prescription medications, over the counter medications, ointments, sprays, inhalers, creams, vials, pet medications to Kenosha County Job Center, Entrance D, 8600 Sheridan Road, Kenosha. Put all medication in a sealed bag.
Wirch back in state
State Sen. Bob Wirch, center, acknowledges the crowd at a rally in Madison Saturday. /Photo by Earlene Frederick
State Sen. Bob Wirch, gone from the state for about three weeks regarding a showdown over Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill, is back in the state.
Wirch and the other 13 Democratic state senators who left to deny a quorum for a vote on the bill were the guests of honor at a rally on the grounds of the state capitol Saturday.
A version of the budget repair bill, focused on reducing public employees’ collective bargaining rights, passed the Assembly and eventually the Senate this week and has been signed into law by Walker. However, legislative opponents claim the process violated state law and they are challenging its legality.
On Sunday, word has it that Wirch was right back doing his customary visiting of various community events.
Wirch’s district includes all of Kenosha County except Wheatland.
Units responding to bicycle crash
Photo by kconnors with morgueFile.com
At about 1:50 p.m., Pleasant Prairie Fire and Rescue is responding to a report of a two bicyclists that have collided in the 9800 block of 80th Avenue, Pleasant Prairie.
Pringle Nature Center to host spring break activities
Pringle Nature Center, 9800 160th Ave., Bristol will be holding a Leave No Child Inside Come and Explore from Tuesday, March 15 through Friday, March 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Instead of staying cooped up inside throughout Kenosha Unified Schools’ spring break, you can bring the family out to Pringle Nature Center to see what is trying to bloom and crawling around. Come all day or just for part.
- Tuesday – Open Mic. Bring your own things to look at under the microscopes. There also will be stuff to look at from the center. The microscopes will be set up inside.
- Wednesday – Geocaching. Join a naturalist in this high tech game of hide and seek to look for the caches in Bristol Woods. Bring a trinket to put in the caches that are found.
- Thursday – Going Green. It’s St. Patty’s day and what better way to celebrate but by making recycled crafts and learning about how easy it is being green.
- Friday – Forest Frolic. Come see what is going on in the woods this time of the year. Sit in the magic spot area to silently listen to the natural world around you, build a shelter in the woods, or go on a scavenger hunt.
These activities are free; for more information call 857-8008.
The Pringle Nature Center is located in Bristol Woods County Park.
Sheriff’s Citizen Academy starting this month
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department will again offer the Sheriff’s Citizen Academy starting later this month.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Citizen Academy is a nine-week program designed to give participants a first hand look at the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department operations and allow them the opportunity to experience law enforcement from a Deputy Sheriff’s standpoint. Participants will ride along with deputies on the street, receive instruction in criminal and traffic law and be instructed in basic law enforcement procedures, as well as firearms and officer safety practices.
Police responding to crash on 32nd Avenue
Photo by kconnors with morgueFile.com
At 11:26 a.m., police are responding to a report of a crash in the 7900 block of 32nd Avenue, Kenosha.
Dispatch says vehicle involved was in a funeral procession. Injuries unknown.
Boy Scout Troop 507 to host breakfast and bake sale
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Boy Scout Troop 507 will host a Pancake and Porky Breakfast with Bake Sale on March 20, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Marks Catholic School Gym, corner of 73rd Street and Sheridan Road, Kenosha.
Tickets are $6; 12 and under are free.12
Regional Connections provides business speed networking
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It’s almost time for another round of Regional Connections, a program of fast-paced business networking sponsored by the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce, the Twin Lakes Area Chamber and Business Association and other nearby business organizations.
This Regional Connections will be sponsored by GFC Leasing. It will take place at Bristol Oaks County Club, 168801 75th St., Bristol on Wednesday, March 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Missing sex offender turns himself in to police
Albert W. Rutledge, a convicted sex offender released into a Pleasant Prairie location earlier this week who later went missing, has turned himself in to authorities.
Twin Lakes Police Chief Dale Racer said Lt. Dennis Linn of the TLPD made phone contact this morning with Rutledge, and Rutledge turned himself in to Burlington police.
Sex offender released in Pleasant Prairie missing
An alternate photo of Albert W. Rutledge shared by police today. /photo contributed by Pleasant Prairie PD
The state Department of Corrections has notified the Pleasant Prairie Police Department that convicted sex offender Albert W. Rutledge, released into a Pleasant Prairie location earlier this week, is now missing.
Rutledge may be intending to visit a girlfriend in Twin Lakes and/or go to Illinois, police said.
From a statement released by police today:
Continue reading
Impact of proposed budget on schools? $29 million less says KUSD
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Reductions in various funding sources for the Kenosha Unified School District — including state and federal funding — and an existing deficit will result in about a $29 million deficit for the 2011-12 school year budget, district officials estimate.
In a press release issued Wednesday, superintendent Michelle Hancock said:
Kenosha labor rallies in Civic Center Park
A crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered near the Kenosha Municipal Building in preparation for a march and rally at Civic Center Park on Wednesday. The march began a half hour late, and despite cool temperatures, rain and wind, participants marched and chanted, getting responses from passers-by on foot and in cars.
Local politicos on national TV in wake of Senate vote on collective bargaining
State Sen. Bob Wirch, far right in the front row, on tonight's The Ed Show.
With state Senate Republicans passing a bill curbing collective bargaining rights for public employees in a surprise move tonight, Kenosha elected representatives were prominent on national airwaves criticizing the move.
State Sen. Robert Wirch, one of the 14 Democratic senators in Illinois for almost three weeks to avoid a quorum for a vote on the bill, spoke briefly on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” bout the action:
This is a day on infamy for Wisconsin. Tommorrow they’re second class citizens after the vote they (the GOP senators) took tonight.”
Wirch’s district includes all of Kenosha County except for Wheatland.
State Rep. Peter Barca, the Assembly minority leader, later appeared on the same show and offered his views:
People are clearly outraged. Tonight the citizens of Wisconsin were robbed of their rights.”
Barca represents a northside Kenosha district.
State Rep. Peter Barca, far left, on MSNBC's The Ed Show tonight.
Police responding to crash at 75th St. and 38th Ave.
Photo by kconnors with morgueFile.com
At about 3:20 p.m., Kenosha police are responding to a report of a crash at 75th Street and 38th Avenue, Kenosha.
Wal-mart eyeing new Kenosha locations, aldermen report
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The map above shows the Bonnie Hame site, where Alderman Anthony Kennedy says Wal-Mart is looking to locate a store.
Several years after building a super-sized store in Somers and closing a Kenosha store on 52nd Street, discount retailing giant Wal-mart is looking at returning to the city, two aldermen said at Monday’s Common Council meeting.
In fact, the company is apparently considering two locations in Kenosha — one north side and one south side location.
Boy Scout Troop 544 to host breakfast March 12
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Boy Scout Troop 544 will host a Pancake and Porky breakfast on March 12, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 1st Congregational Church 5934 Eighth Ave., Kenosha.
Tickets are $5; children 6 and under are free.
Kenosha aldermen blast administration’s handling of draft contracts
Releasing two draft contracts with different unions representing city workers to a newspaper before they had been considered by the council’s Finance Committee was criticized by two aldermen during the comments portion of the Common Council meeting Monday night.
Alderman David Bogdala, Finance Committee chairman, said his committee will have a special meeting Friday afternoon to consider the contracts.
But Alderman Michael Orth took issue with the contracts apparently being released to one media outlet before the committee had discussed them. Continue reading
Police Department gives notice of sex offender release
Albert W. Rutledge /photo submitted by Pleasant Prairie Police
The Pleasant Prairie Police Department is making notification of the release of convicted sex offender Albert Rutledge into the village.
Rutledge was to be be moved to a residence in the area of I-94 and Wilmot Road in Pleasant Prairie on March 8, 2011, after being released from prison on the same date.
Kenosha Community Media, WGTD to host Unified candidate forum
A forum for candidates to the Kenosha Unified School Board will take place on Wednesday, March 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Gateway Technical College, 3520 30th Avenue, in the Center for Bioscience and Information Technology building on the north end of the campus.
The public is invited to attend.
Sheriff’s Department to step up OWI, seat belt enforcement
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department has issued the following statement regarding increased operating while intoxicated enforcement:
In order to combat drunken driving and increase safety belt use, The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department will intensify its traffic safety enforcement during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period from March 4 to 20.
The increased enforcement is part of a grant that The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department has received from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Safety (BoTS).
“Our intensified traffic safety enforcement during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period and throughout the year will help prevent motorists from killing and injuring themselves and others on our roadways. We’re striving to increase voluntary compliance with traffic safety laws; not to write more seat belt tickets or make more drunken driving arrests,” says Sheriff David Beth. “We are serious about traffic safety enforcement because far too many needless deaths and serious injuries are due to drunken driving and not wearing safety belts. Our goal is to reduce preventable traffic deaths to zero in Wisconsin because even one preventable traffic fatality is one too many.”
UPDATE March 7 — Pleasant Prairie has announced the same effort.
Gateway seeking applicants for board posts
The Board Appointment Committee for the Gateway Technical College District Board of Trustees has begun accepting applications from district residents seeking appointments to the board.
Deadline to apply for the appointment is noon, March 11.
Three seats will be open for appointment. Those holding the seats up for reappointment are Ram Bhatia, Neville Simpson and Pamela Zenner-Richards. The three-year appointments begin July 1, 2011, and end June 30, 2014.
Vacancies for three-year terms are one Kenosha County seat and two Racine County seats:
KABA acquires downtown building; Jockey to move closeout center there
The Jockey Closeout Center now on 39th Avenue in Kenosha will be moving downtown into a building at 5500 Sixth Avenue acquired by the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, the KABA announced today.
Jockey Chairman and CEO Debra S. Waller made the following comment on the move: Continue reading
Kenosha High School students compete in JA Business Challenge
Students teams from Tremper High School, Bradford High School, Indian Trail Academy, Harborside Academy and Wilmot High School competed in the Junior Achievement Challenge regional round held today at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha.
The Wilmot trio of Alexander Houghton, Keith Kaczor and Kaleb Martino prevailed on the business computer simulation program used for the competition.
The winning Wilmot team and the Harborside team of Joe Kiser, Michael Duratinsky and Kendall Vega, which finished second in the top division, will advance to the state competition in Sheboygan. The first place team also won a $500 scholarship for each member.
Workshop for grieving children to be held March 7
A workshop entitled “How to Help a Grieving Child” will be held by MargaretAnn’s Place, Wisconsin’s Center of Hope for Grieving Children, on Monday, March 7 at 6 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church, 1700 South Green Bay Road, Racine.
The workshop, designed for parents, caregivers, and educators, will cover such topics as how children express grief, the importance of helping children learn coping skills to deal with their emotions, and methods to help children begin the healing process and move toward creating healthy and productive futures.
To reserve your space, please contact Loralei Marr at 909-4485 or [email protected] .
MargaretAnn’s Place provides support, education and awareness for children and their families who are grieving a death of a significant person in their lives.
National Novel Editing Month events on Sundays at Northside Library
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Brush up your fiction (or non-fiction) this March during National Novel Editing Month, taking place at Northside Library, 1500 27th Ave., Kenosha, on Sundays, March 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Writers of all abilities are invited to take part in transforming a rough draft into polished prose. They will have opportunities to exchange tips, edit their manuscript, and discuss the writing and revision process.
Police responding to fight near Tremper HS
Photo by kconnors with morgueFile.com
At 3:09 p.m., Kenosha Police squads are responding to a report of a large number of people in a fight outside near Tremper High School.
