Saturday, May 23, 2026

Events planned throughout Racine County over Memorial Day weekend

From The Journal Times.com:

Milana Doné


RACINE — Racine County residents have a handful options available to honor service members this Memorial Day weekend.

Racine

The Racine Memorial Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Monday on Washington Avenue at West Boulevard, according to Racine Area Veterans Inc.. The parade moves north along West Boulevard to Osborne Road, and concludes at Graceland Cemetery with a remembrance ceremony at 11 a.m.

West Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Osborne Boulevard will be closed from about 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m..

Over the weekend, the Racine Zoo, at 2131 N. Main Street, will feature extended summer hours. From May 23-25, the zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mount Pleasant

West Lawn Memorial Park’s Memorial Day Honor Service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday at 9000 Washington Avenue in Racine.

The ceremony includes a flag display from a South Shore Fire Department ladder truck, a portrayal of George Washington by a historical reenactor and patriotic music performed by the Racine Lutheran High School Band.

Additionally, patrons can expect a reading of the names of veterans interred at West Lawn since last Memorial Day. It will be followed by a dove release and the placement of a wreath at the veterans’ memorial.

Wind Lake

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8343 will host its Memorial Day ceremony from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

It will feature a motorcycle parade led by the Gary Wetzel Riders, the motorcycle club of Wisconsin Medal of Honor recipient. The parade will leave from The Penny Bar at 6959 South Loomis Road at 11 a.m. Riders will travel around Wind Lake to the VFW memorial grounds next to B-Lazy Bar and Grill at 7922 South Loomis Road.

The ceremony also will include reading the names of veterans, live music by the Smooth Blues Band, games, a firework show, raffles and the Boy Scout food booth.

Union Grove

The fifth annual Memorial Day Parade to honor the residents of Wisconsin Veterans Home Union Grove will be held Monday.

Parade participants will meet between 1:30 and 2:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the Racine County Fairgrounds and can use the Highway 45 Fairgrounds entrance.

The vehicles will leave the fairgrounds at about 2:30 p.m. and travel on Highway 11 and Highway C to the grounds of Southern Wisconsin Center and the Wisconsin Veterans Home.

They will then pass through the adjacent Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery and take a final pass by the Wisconsin Veterans Home.

The parade will include vehicles from the Kansasville Fire Department and Union Grove-Yorkville Fire Department.

More information can be found by contacting committee member David Bart at 847-691-3901 or Ellen Jante at 262-492-2439.

Burlington area

The Rochester Memorial Parade is one of the longest-running traditions in the state.

It will line up at 1 p.m. Monday at the Rochester Fire Department at 31020 Academy Road in Burlington. The parade steps off at 1:30 p.m. and will end at Pioneer Park. The post-parade ceremony features taps, the lowering of a wreath and a flag-folding ceremony.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/article_3af38e87-4f73-4308-b105-bf77e8286f19.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Car Prototype: Frisky Family Three: Giovanni Michelotti's Rarest and Most Overlooked Design

auto

Curtains down: Stephen Colbert bows out of 'Late Show' after Trump pressure • FRANCE 24 English

The singularity is near: Google unveils next phase of AI

Food prices are spiking. What's changing the most?

Hundreds arrested in SoCal child exploitation sting

Trump pledges extra troops for Poland as Rubio cautions allies

Iran releases Hormuz 'controlled maritime zone' boundaries

Senate Republicans revolt over Trump's $1.8B US fund for political allies

Teachers Gone Wild: Longview Schools superintendent arrested for obstructing sexual assault investigation

3 ways Congress just pushed back against Trump

Retro Car: Renault Racoon: Amphibious Vehicle That Drives On Land And Water

Friday, May 22, 2026

Atomic Snack Bar: The Doll Squad (1973) - Spies, Explosions, and a Touch of Sci-fi

Daily Dose of Pets: He Was Ready For Him

Qxir: The Houses Built to Ruin Lives | Tales From the Bottle

Woman faces new charge of urinating on Pensacola Airbnb furniture, causing $17K in damage


This pisses me off.

Ex-Epstein assistant names new names

Pentagon releases more stunning UFO files

Ukraine frontline: the high-tech drones defeating Russian air attacks | BBC News

SpaceX scrubs Starship V3 rocket launch

What's holding the U.S. and Iran apart on a peace deal?

Trump allies, Jan. 6 defendants lining up to apply for $1.7 billion fund

He defended the Capitol and is now suing to block payments to Jan. 6 rioters

Senate Republicans break with Trump over 'anti-weaponization fund' concerns

Experts warn drivers not to run gas tanks down too low as prices spike

FBI looking to question Milwaukee police officers about 2020 election

Federal judge dismisses DOJ's lawsuit for Wisconsin voter data

Retro Car: Maserati Simun: Giugiaro’s Rarest Maserati Ever Built

Thursday, May 21, 2026

On wheels: 1937 Packard Motorhome 🏨 The Luxury RV That Existed Before RVs

Cool Ideas: 1948 Veritas RS Streamliner ⚡ The Forgotten Silver Bullet Legend

Second bighorn born at Racine Zoo, follows first born last week

From The Journal Times.com:

Milana Doné


RACINE — Another bighorn sheep has joined the family at the Racine Zoo.

The zoo welcomed two female Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Helga and Mantis, earlier this year. Mantis delivered a boy May 12, and Helga delivered a girl Wednesday, according to a news release from the zoo.

Neither baby has been named. Patrons can vote on name options on the Racine Zoo Facebook page.

Options for Mantis’s boy are Sierra, Cosmo and Topaz. Voting is open until May 24 at noon, and the winning name will be announced May 25.

Options for Helga’s girl are Greta, Romayne and Ruby. Voting is open until May 31 at noon, and the winning name will be announced June 1.


Daily Dose of Internet: He Was Just Hanging Out

Trump concocts 'fantasy world' on pre-war prices

Mark Felton Productions: The Dönitz Testament - Was Hitler's Successor President of Germany Until 1980?

Clergy Gone Wild: Bond set for former 'ex-gay' ministry leader accused of luring minor for sex

Car Prototype: 2018 Indian Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Scout Bobber: Ultra Rare Collector Bike

DOJ's tax settlement with Trump sets 'dangerous precedent,' former IRS commissioner says

Blanche won't rule out 'weaponization' payouts to January 6 defendants

Republican vows to ‘kill’ Trump’s $1.776B compensation fund

Repeated road rage suspect Nathaniel Radimak sentenced to 7 years in prison

Trump settlement fund sparks backlash, lawsuits



King Butt-Hurt is such a lying swine . . .

Racine lead service line replacement | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Cop killer Ted Oswald's early release petition | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Cops Gone Wild: Milwaukee sex assault survivor files complaint over police response | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Police: Driver intentionally drove Cybertruck into lake

Trump Wages War on Republicans, Makes His Bank Account Great Again & Farewell to Colbert

Retro Car: 1954 Buick Wildcat II: The Futuristic GM Motorama Dream Car

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Daily Dose of Pets: She Got Caught Peeking

RUSD workers demonstrate for wage increases in 2026-27

From The Journal Times.com:

Ryan Patterson

Kelly Miller was one of about 50 people who demonstrated in demand of better pay Monday at the Racine Unified School District administrative service campus.


RACINE — Educators demonstrated Monday to demand pay next school year that keeps up with the cost of living.

About 50 people from two unions made their presence felt with signs and chanting before the Racine Unified School District Board meeting.

Chants included “Pay us or lose us,” “Educators deserve a living wage” and “Retain, don’t retrain.”

Dulce Cervantes, from right, Dawn Glasier and Amanda Schwartz were some of the teachers who demonstrated Monday at the Racine Unified School District administrative service campus, 3109 Mt. Pleasant St.


Members of Racine Educators United, the union representing RUSD instructors, and Service Employees International Union Wisconsin, the union representing RUSD building service employees such as custodians, maintenance workers and engineers, want base wage increases of 2.63% next school year to keep pace with rising costs.

According to the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2.63% is the applicable inflation rate for one-year collective bargaining agreements that begin July 1, which is when the REU and SEIU deals will start.

That inflation rate is also known as a cost of living adjustment, or COLA.

Teachers also want a salary step increase in 2026-27. The step increase, also called a rung, is based on educators’ years of service.

Educators believe that keeping experienced workers helps students and is less costly for the school district than hiring and training new employees.

Spencer Carlson, from right, Maddie Kelly and Christie Bartow were three of the teachers who demonstrated in demand of better pay Monday at the Racine Unified School District administrative service campus.


“We know these are tough economic times, but we have faith that the board and the administration recognize the value of front-line workers that keep the district running and that they’ll honor all of our hard work with COLA and a step,” said REU President Angelina Cruz.

RUSD and the unions have not yet exchanged base wage proposals.

The school board met in executive session Monday to discuss base wage negotiations, according to the meeting agenda, but did not vote on anything.

The school district and two unions are scheduling the date of the initial exchange.

Mike Bellagio, Racine Unified School District Board member, right, talks with employees demonstrating for better pay Monday at the RUSD administrative service campus.


Base wage agreements require approval from the RUSD Board.

Board President Jane Barbian wrote in an email that the board is “always looking for ways to recruit and retain high quality staff for our schools.”

“This means being as competitive as possible in our wage negotiations, and as our budget allows,” Barbian wrote “We understand that a quality workforce is needed to drive the district initiatives.”

RUSD educators and building service employees received 2.95% base wage increases this school year, 2% raises in 2024-25 and 8% increases in 2023-24.

demonstrated Monday to demand better pay next school year.

Union members will likely demonstrate at the school board’s June 1 work session and June 15 business meeting if a deal is not reached by those dates.

“We’ll be back!” employees chanted while leaving.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/education/article_18a16939-994e-41f6-bb99-d28b2f4a8b67.html#tracking-source=home-top-story


Recent stories by Racine Journal Times reporter Ryan Patterson

IRS ‘forever’ barred from investigating Trump's past taxes: CNN reacts

Conservative Activist Christopher Rufo Calls Out California Benefit Scams | Pod Force One

Southwest Airlines adds robot ban after viral Love Field flight

Data center boom in Chicago area raises new questions about Lake Michigan water use

Milwaukee couple reaches settlement with city after repeated swatting responses

'It's upsetting': Koi fish street art on Milwaukee's east side defaced with anti-gay slur


It's hypocritical that gays call each other "fags," but straight people aren't allowed to, like blacks who call each other "niggers."  Fuck you and your censorship of free speech.   

Non-citizens, including refugees, will lose access to food stamps in Wisconsin on July 1

Data centers in Wisconsin: Sheboygan voters push TIF limits | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Cops Gone Wild: Second MPD officer under investigation for Flock camera misuse | FOX6 News Milwaukee

FBI looking into 2020 election in Milwaukee

Mount Pleasant police search for missing endangered man last spotted in Kansas

3 month old overdose death charges

Trump Makes His Most Brazenly Corrupt Move Ever, Blabs About Ballroom & Backs Off Iran Deadline

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

On wheels: DecoLiner 🌌 The Most Beautiful Motorhome Ever Created

Daily Dose of Internet: They Took a Wrong Turn

Cool Ideas: 1959 Scootacar MkI SHOCK 😲: 197cc Bubble Car Madness

Car Prototype: Čezeta 501: Rare Retro Scooter From Czechoslovakia With Futuristic Design

Mt. Pleasant police, fire departments seeing increased workloads

From The Journal Times.com:

Holly Gilvary



MOUNT PLEASANT — Police calls in Mount Pleasant are “consistently going up,” with the police department seeing a 4.7% increase from 2024 to 2025 and a 7.5% increase from 2023 to 2025.

That’s according to Mount Pleasant Police Chief Robert Botsch, who delivered the Mount Pleasant Police Department’s 2025 annual report to village trustees May 11.

South Shore Fire Chief Dustin Ellis also presented the fire department’s annual report.

"As of today at 3 o'clock, we're about 300 calls higher this year than we were at the same time last year, already," Botsch said.

MPPD received 26,115 calls last year, according to the annual report.

Botsch said the department is focused on addressing hazardous driving, such as speeding and impaired operation, adding that overall traffic accidents increased in 2025 because the volume of traffic is increasing.

"Everything is unfortunately going up in the traffic area because we have a lot more traffic that is in our area," he said. "We've got a lot more construction that's going on."

The department reported 722 wrecks resulting in property damage, 256 resulting in injuries and 134 involving a hit and run.

The number of traffic stops is up as officers conduct more patrols "to try and adjust behavior," Botsch said.

This summer, MPPD will bring back its PROTECT Initiative (Proactive Operations, Traffic Enforcement and Crime-suppression Team) that it piloted in 2025 to provide additional traffic patrols and proactive enforcement from June 1 to Aug. 31.

“(Officers are) in the hotels, they’re frequenting bars, they’re trying to get in front of problems," Botsch said. "They’re a problem-solving group that just gets out and they have time to do other things.”

While all MPPD officers conduct traffic patrols and proactive enforcement during their shifts, they do so in between calls, according to Botsch. The designated PROTECT officers have the time to practice proactive enforcement for their entire shifts.

“People might complain that they've got speeders on their block; we might not have a squad during normal hours that can sit on that block because they're jumping from call to call to call to call to call,” he said. “Now, in the summer, from June 1 to Aug. 31, we might have that capability because now we've got a car that we've pulled out to just do proactive stuff.”

Last summer, PROTECT issued 177 traffic citations, conducted 13 felony arrests, 35 misdemeanor arrests, 15 municipal arrests, 23 warrant-related arrests, 39 narcotics-related arrests, three firearm-related arrests and reported 18 K-9 utilization instances.

No additional hires are necessary to staff the two-person team.

Staffing and recognition

Despite three officers leaving in 2025, MPPD ended the year fully staffed, hiring four new officers. Two of those hires finished their field training this month.

Botsch also highlighted the department’s community engagement efforts and events, such as the Lakeside COP (Community Oriented Policing) House. The Chicago Police Department visited MPPD’s COP House last year to learn more about their community engagement practices.

“We really engage well with the community and a lot of other agencies are trying to model that, and not just have a house in a neighborhood, but model the engagement, the ability to get out there, the ability to interact, the ability to build relationships," Botsch said.

MPPD also gained re-accreditation from the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group through 2028 after an assessment in October. Botsch estimated that about 10% of agencies in Wisconsin have this accreditation.

SSFD calls also up

South Shore Fire Chief Dustin Ellis said the fire department responded to 6,378 incidents last year, with EMS calls accounting for 78% of those.

The call volume is down slightly from 2024, but up overall from 2021 by more than 1,000 calls, according to the department.

Department expenditures in 2025 were about $11.26 million, with a 2026 adopted budget of $12.12 million. The main costs were staffing, overtime, healthcare and equipment.

SSFD will have 64 of its 69 positions filled after the May 29 Racine County Joint Fire Training Academy, according to the department.

Ellis said SSFD’s priorities for 2026 include facility planning, automatic aid expansion, workforce development, policy improvements and the implementation of a strategic plan.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/article_17fa228a-024e-4743-bbe2-3c03d3492464.html#tracking-source=mp-homepage

South Korea to pursue all options to avoid Samsung strike

WATCH: Murray asks Hegseth if Americans should give up daycare, health care to pay defense budget

Bombshell UFO claims spark frenzy as researcher alleges four alien species discovered

McDonald's worker seen in viral french fry video charged | New details on case

Is the road ending for El Chapo's Sinaloa cartel?

Inside the "troubled teen" industry, when help sometimes does more harm


Most forms of "treatment" of any kind are scams.

Skip navigation Search Create Avatar image Mitchell Park Domes in Milwaukee to get $2M state restoration grant

Consumer Reports: Tick-proof your yard

Trump’s Crazy Posting Spree, Embarrassing Trip to China & a Deep Dark Government Conspiracy!

Retro Car: LADA Revolution III: Russia’s Bold Supercar Experiment

Monday, May 18, 2026

Jury dismisses Elon Musk lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman

Cool Ideas: 1931 Wikov 35 Kapka: The Streamlined Czech Car Tatra Feared

Certain evidence suppressed, key evidence allowed in Luigi Mangione trial

Gov. Tony Evers says Wisconsin is prepared for any FBI election probe

From JSOnline:

Molly Beck
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says he has not been made aware of any "widespread" Federal Bureau of Investigation effort to probe the 2020 presidential election in this battleground state but has measures in place to respond if one materializes.

Evers made the comments days after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported FBI agents had questioned a top state election official and have sought interviews with people who helped administer Milwaukee's 2020 election.

It's so far unclear what the goals are of the questions.

A spokeswoman for the FBI has repeatedly declined to answer questions about the probe's scope and purpose. But sources told the Journal Sentinel the FBI's interview with Wisconsin Elections Commission deputy administrator Robert Kehoe focused on how elections work in Wisconsin and debunking conspiracy theories about the 2020 election in the state.

"No, I'm not," Evers told WISN 12 News political reporter Matt Smith when asked if Evers was aware of "widespread FBI activity here in the state."

"I haven't heard it, but we are adequately prepared and I won't tell you what pieces are in place but we're prepared to make sure that our elections happen safely," Evers said about November's elections.

"We have plans to, if they show up, we will be there to make sure that they are asking for what they have access to but also making sure that they're not doing what they shouldn't do," he said.

The Wisconsin probe comes after federal officials in January seized hundreds of boxes of ballots related to the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia, and after the FBI issued a grand jury subpoena in March for voting information in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin have all been central to Trump's false claims that he won the 2020 election. Trump has insisted, without evidence, that former President Joe Biden didn’t win in Wisconsin that year.

A recount in two Wisconsin counties that Trump's campaign paid for, court rulings, a state audit and a conservative review have confirmed that Trump lost. Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by about 21,000 votes.

Officials in Wisconsin – and especially Milwaukee – have been bracing for an investigation.

If federal officials advance an investigation of the 2020 election in Milwaukee, it's possible that poll books and nearly 180,000 absentee ballots with attached ID numbers could be turned over to investigators. Since state law requires absentee ballots counted at a central counting facility to include poll list numbers, the data could be matched with poll book information to identify voters.

Ballots from the 2020 election typically would have been destroyed by now. But Milwaukee's 2020 ballots still exist, partly because of a lawsuit filed against the city by a New London man who has sued state and local election officials over the 2020 election and related issues.

Sources told the Journal Sentinel earlier this month no ballots have been seized by the FBI.

Agents sought to question one of Milwaukee County's top election officials about the 2020 presidential election at her home last week. Evers said the agents' decision to visit her home was "bizarre."

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

From: 
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/18/gov-tony-evers-says-wisconsin-is-prepared-for-any-fbi-election-probe/90132492007/

Cops Gone Wild: Current, former KCSO employees turn themselves in following indictment related to past division

Terrorist Commander Accused of Planning Attacks Across the US

Retro Car: 1967 Exemplar I: The Most Unique Buick Riviera Based Concept Ever Built

How do global events affect gas prices at the pump?

High gas prices pushing more Americans to public transit

Ukraine launches LARGEST drone attack on Russia in months

“Are we f--king nuts?”: Javier Bardem calls out Trump, Putin, Netanyahu for “toxic masculinity”

Poll: Trump's approval rating on the economy still falling