Friday, October 11, 2019

13-year-old who pointed a finger gun at four classmates faces felony charge

During a classroom discussion in Overland Park, Kansas, a student asked a middle school girl which five classmates she would kill if she could.
She extended her forefinger to imitate a gun, and pointed at four students last month. Then, she turned the pretend "gun" on herself, the Kansas City Star reported.
The girl, who was reported on the school's anti-bullying app, now faces a felony for threatening her classmates, just one week after two boys at a neighboring middle school were charged with misdemeanors after they were caught with real guns in their backpacks.
"I think that this is something that probably could have been handled in the principal's office and got completely out of hand," Jon Cavanaugh, the girl's grandfather, told the Star. "She was just mouthing off."
A police officer and Westridge Middle School officials questioned the 13-year-old girl and another student about the Sept. 18 incident, an Overland Park Police Department spokesperson told The Washington Post in a statement Thursday. The Overland Park cop then cuffed the teenager and took her to a nearby juvenile detention facility, where she was charged with a felony for threatening.
"Too often there are reports of violence in schools and inevitably questions about what could or should have been done to prevent the tragedy," the police statement said. "Threats in schools are taken very seriously and treated appropriately."
Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/10/13-year-old-who-pointed-a-finger-gun-at-four-classmates-faces-felony-charge.html?outputType=amp

Full Hunter’s Moon to cast spectacular orange glow in the sky this weekend

AP
The full moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty at sunset in New York City. (AP Photo/ J. David Ake)
A brilliant orange Full Hunter’s Moon casting its spectacular glow across the October sky is an icon of the Halloween season, and this weekend is your chance to see the phenomenon for real.
The Hunter’s Moon is the name given to October’s full moon, which is also the first full moon after the Harvest Moon—the one closest to the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
Thanks to the “moon illusion," the Full Hunter’s Moon appears huge and bright while it hangs low in the sky close to the horizon, and thanks to its hourly proximity to sunset, it should reflect the sun’s orange color around that time.
This year, the moon will reach peak fullness on Sunday, October 13 at 5:07 p.m., EDT, but it won’t rise above the horizon until twilight settles in, after 6:30 p.m.
If the skies are clear, sky-gazers should be in for a big orange treat, and to that end, here’s a look at the cloud cover forecast around that time in Upstate NY. Temperatures are expected to be in the 40s across Upstate NY on Sunday night, so if you’re going out, bring a coat.
  • In Buffalo, partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of precipitation
  • In Rochester, mainly clear skies with a 10% chance of precipitation
  • In Syracuse, mostly clear skies with a few clouds
  • In Albany, mostly clear skies with a 10% chance of precipitation
  • In the mid-Hudson Valley, partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of precipitation
So why the name Hunter’s Moon? According to Time and Date, Anglo-Saxons named it to reference the time of year when hunted game is fattened. It was a sign that the time had come to hunt, slaughter and preserve meats for the coming winter months.
It is sometimes also called the “blood moon," for similar reasons, but this shouldn’t be confused with the name also used to refer to lunar eclipses.
From: https://www.newyorkupstate.com/weather/2019/10/full-hunters-moon-to-cast-spectacular-orange-glow-in-the-sky-this-weekend.html

YOKO ONO BREAKS HER SILENCE ABOUT THE BEATLES’ JOHN LENNON AFTER MANY YEARS


The legendary late icon of The Beatles, John Lennon’s lover, Yoko Ono‘s birthday message to John has been exposed by John Lennon’s official and verified Instagram page today.
Here is Yoko’s message to John:
“Dear Friends,⠀
October 9th is always a special day for our family. ⠀
It is John’s birthday and Sean’s birthday. ⠀
It is also the day we re-light IMAGINE PEACE TOWER, with all of you.⠀

Each one of us has the power to change the world. ⠀
Power works in mysterious ways. ⠀
We don’t have to do much. ⠀
Visualize the domino effect and just start thinking PEACE. ⠀
Thoughts are infectious. Send it out. ⠀
The message will circulate faster than you think.⠀

It’s Time for Action.⠀
The Action is PEACE⠀

Think PEACE, Act PEACE, Spread PEACE⠀
PEACE is POWER!⠀

I love you! ⠀
yoko ⠀
❤️⠀

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is lit – see the live feed at http://imaginepeacetower.com
Follow @IPTower on Instagram⠀
#IPTowerWISH”
You can see the post below.




From: https://metalheadzone.com/yoko-ono-breaks-her-silence-about-the-beatles-john-lennon-after-many-years/

Renault Fires Its C.E.O., as the Post-Ghosn Shake-Up Continues

The dismissal of Thierry Bolloré came after Nissan named a new chief. The automakers are part of an alliance once led by Carlos Ghosn, who was ousted as chairman.

CreditCreditTobias Schwarz/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By 

Renault’s board on Friday fired its chief executive, Thierry Bolloré, just days after Nissan shook up its leadership, as the two automakers in a much-vaunted alliance struggled to regain their footing nearly a year after the ouster of their former chairman, Carlos Ghosn.
The French automaker named its chief financial officer, Clotilde Delbos, as the interim chief executive. Mr. Bolloré, a former executive who served under Mr. Ghosn, became chief executive after Mr. Ghosn’s arrest on charges of financial wrongdoing last year.
The board’s announcement said it “decided to end the mandate” of Mr. Bolloré “with immediate effect,” without elaborating.
Renault and Nissan are attempting to turn a page on the Ghosn era by shedding executives who have complicated efforts to reboot the world’s largest auto alliance since his arrest.



Good.  Renault has been destroying what's left of Chrysler.

Racine Author, Photographer, and Frank Lloyd Wright Advocate Mark Hertzberg Honored with Wright Spirit Award 2019

By  - Oct 10th, 2019 03:30 pm

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Penwern
Racine, WI  October 10, 2019
Racine photographer and author, Mark Hertzberg, recently received one of the seven prestigious 2019 Wright Spirit Awards. The nationally-nominated honors were presented on Saturday, October 5, 2019, at a gala dinner in Los Angeles. The Wright Spirit Awards were established in 1991 by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to preserving visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy. The Conservancy’s Awards Committee selects the honorees from nominations received during an open nomination period. Awards are presented in the categories of private individual, public entities, professional service, and special honors to recognize extraordinary efforts. Hertzberg was the sole recipient for this round in the professional category.
An award-winning photographer, Hertzberg is the retired Director of Photography for The Journal Times, Racine, Wisconsin’s daily newspaper. He has lectured extensively across the country on Wright’s buildings with an emphasis on the architect’s work in Racine. Hertzberg was honored with a Wright Spirit Award 2019 as an author, photographer, and advocate for helping save the Wright-designed Hardy House in Racine. He was recognized for his advocacy work in Wisconsin and for the way his books––as well the sharing of his extensive photography archive with Wright organizations across the country––exemplifies the definition of this award.

Elizabeth Warren's answer to marriage question gets laughs at Los Angeles town hall

Starz - Cool One

Open Blog - Friday


Oooh, what a feeling!

Thursday, October 10, 2019

City of Racine to Provide Free Financial Counseling to Low-Income Residents

From Racine County Eye:

Mark Lisowski

RACINE, Wis. – Racine was selected yesterday by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) to receive funding and technical support to extend financial empowerment programming to low-income residents for free. The city is one of six chosen nationwide to receive professional, one-on-one financial counseling as a public service.
Cities for Financial Empowerment provides grant support, intensive technical assistance, and a vibrant national learning community to help local government partners plan, launch and sustain Financial Empowerment Centers (FECs) for residents. At the Financial Empowerment Centers, professionally trained FEC counselors help individuals and families with low and moderate incomes manage their finances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit and access safe and affordable mainstream banking products. Housing Resources, Inc. and six other local financial institutions supported the city in applying for this competitive funding.
“We are delighted to have been selected for this assistance,” said City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason. Racine is one of six localities selected to receive a grant and intensive technical assistance to prepare to launch a local FEC through the national FEC public platform, which promotes scale and sustainability for the growing movement of professional, one-on-one financial counseling. The city joins five others in receiving such funding, alongside a network of existing FEC platforms in 26 other cities.

First, the city must learn how to keep its own finances straight.

Charli the emu survived weeks in the woods and was shot twice by a sheriff's deputy. She's now thriving in a sanctuary.

From JSOnline:

, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Charli the emu is seen in her enclosure after a Waushara County Sheriff's deputy shot her twice. She is recovering smoothly. (Photo: Courtesy of Nicole Helmer)

Charli isn’t like other emus. She’s a famous emu.
Plus, she’s friendly, tame and loves cuddles — flying in the face of the stereotype that emus are violent creatures.
So Nicole Helmer isn’t sure why a Waushara County Sheriff’s deputy shot the large flightless bird last week in the town of Coloma, especially just one minute after Helmer, who runs an animal sanctuary, told the deputy on the phone that she’d come rescue Charli.
Regardless, Helmer is glad the shots weren’t fatal and Charli is healing nicely. And she’s amazed at all the attention Charli’s story has garnered across the state.
“I’m in awe of her and the way that the community has rallied,” Helmer said. “We feel very blessed that she chose to trust us.”
But before visitors stopped by to see the emu, the news cameras toured SonnyBoy Animal Sanctuary and the veterinarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison animal hospital snapped selfies with her, Charli was on a long journey far from home.

Unfortunately, the deputy's camera was not on when he shot Charli.  Shades of Ty'Rese West.

10 Documentaries That Ruined Reputations

Open Blog - Thursday


Happy is as happy does.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Sterling Brown's lawyer calls city's $400,000 offer to settle false arrest case an abuse of the litigation process

From JSOnline:

, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


Lawyers for Sterling Brown, the Milwaukee Bucks player police stunned with a Taser in a Walgreens parking lot last year, asked a judge Tuesday to throw out the city's offer to settle his false arrest case for $400,000, calling it a bad faith abuse of the litigation process. 
Under federal court rules, if Brown were to win damages less than $400,000 at trial, he would be on the hook for the city's legal fees and costs — expenses Brown's attorney says the city has purposely inflated as leverage to persuade Brown to take the offer.
Attorney Mark Thomsen said the offer is particularly insulting because, he asserts, discovery in the case has clearly shown the city knew from the get-go that officers had acted improperly and violated Brown's rights. 
"Defendants should never be rewarded for asserting meritless defenses while boldly inflating a Plaintiff’s litigations costs and fees, only to try to take advantage of serving an offer of judgment that Plaintiff could never accept in true conscience," the motion reads.

Man on federal house arrest reportedly caught with marijuana in Racine jail

From The Journal Times.com:


Edwards
RACINE — A Chicago man is facing charges after allegedly lying to Racine County Sheriff’s Office deputies about his name to hide that he was on federal house arrest, and then being caught in the County Jail the next day with marijuana.
Antonio R. Edwards, 26, is charged with misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and possession of marijuana.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Monday, two Racine County Sheriff’s deputies were patrolling for speeders on the Highway 11 on-ramp on northbound Interstate 94. The two reportedly saw a vehicle traveling 84 mph and pulled the vehicle over.
While approaching the vehicle, one deputy noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle did not turn up contraband.
The two occupants of the vehicle were handcuffed and separated. The driver identified himself; however, the passenger provided the name of Jerry King, which did not match any records. The driver said the passenger’s name was Rashad Edwards, which the passenger refuted.
The passenger continued to give his name as Jerry King with a different birth date, and later told officers he was so “high” he told them the wrong birth date.
Using the passenger’s cell phone, as well as a Fast ID, deputies were able to identify the passenger as Antonio Rashad Edwards, who was out on bond and on federal house arrest.
The next day, at approximately 10:50 a.m. Tuesday and while in custody at the Racine County Jail, two correctional officers smelled marijuana coming from Edwards’ cell.
Edwards was searched and a plastic bag with 4.0 grams of marijuana was reportedly found. Edwards said he “did not want to get another charge,” which was why he concealed the marijuana.
Edwards remained in custody as of Wednesday, online records show. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 9 at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.

Officials find indoor and outdoor marijuana grow operation in Racine County

From CBS 58:

By: 



RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Authorities uncovered an indoor and outdoor marijuana grow operation in Racine County. 

On Oct. 8, agents from the Racine County Metro Drug Unit and a Racine County Sheriff's K-9 executed a search warrant at the home of a 50-year-old Gregg Gulbrandson on Illinois Avenue. This, after information developed he was growing marijuana in a field off State Highway 31 in Caledonia.
  
Inside the home on Illinois Avenue, officials found 23 marijuana plants, as well as 270 grams of "finished" marijuana, 551 grams of marijuana butter, growing equipment and drug paraphernalia. 

Marijuana grow operation in Racine County

Gulbrandson's alleged grow operation

The 50-year-old Racine man was taken to the Racine County Jail and booked on the following charges: 
  • Possession of Marijuana with intent to deliver 200-1000 grams
  • Manufacture THC 20-50 Plants
  • Manufacture THC 200-1000 grams
  • Keeper of a Drug place for sales
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Repeat drug offender
From: https://www.cbs58.com/news/officials-find-indoor-and-outdoor-marijuana-grow-operation-in-racine-county

Foxconn's first Earn and Learn Program session Wednesday and Thursday

From The Journal Times.com:

Dan Talsky, daniel.talsky@journaltimes.com

RACINE COUNTY — The first information sessions about Foxconn’s newly announced Foxconn Earn and Learn Program for college students will be held Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday Foxconn announced the new program. It said the program will allow students enrolled in select technical colleges and universities to work for Foxconn for up to six months as full-time employees in training. Furthermore, students will be provided time allowances to continue their studies to “earn and learn.”
Gateway Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside are partners in the program.
The sessions will be held:
  • From 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at the SC Johnson iMET Center, 2320 Renaissance Blvd.;
  • From 4-7 p.m. Thursday in Gateway’s SC Johnson Student Life Center in the Downtown Racine Lake Building, 1001 Main St.; and
  • From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 16 in upper Main Place in UW-Parkside’s Wyllie Hall. A university spokesman said Foxconn is working to have students preregister to meet with company representatives within that time frame, but the details were still being worked out. In any case, students can show up and meet with a company representative.
In partnership with Wisconsin technical colleges and universities, Foxconn also is launching the trainee program in Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire and Green Bay.
The company did not say when the new program will start.
From: https://journaltimes.com/business/local/foxconn-s-first-earn-and-learn-program-session-wednesday-and/article_f4e835b7-64a8-516a-a691-1210df380e6a.html#anchor_item_1

Justice Rally / Candle Light Vigil at Racine County Courthouse Wednesday Oct. 9 @ 6:30 PM

From Racine Uncensored:


From: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1783568838634123/permalink/2488349234822743/

Racine Humane Society Fundraiser

From The Journal Times.com:

McDonald's, 6630 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant, will donate 20% of its sales from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, towards building the new Racine Humane Society Campus in Spring 2020.

From: https://journaltimes.com/calendar/community/racine-humane-society-fundraiser/event_60b2143a-e94c-11e9-9827-308d99b27d1c.html


 

 VENUE

McDonald's Restaurant

6630 Washington Ave.
Mount Pleasant, WI 53406

Dear Madame Zoltar

Madame Zoltar is again MIA.  She did leave instructions to put up the latest standings in the Irregular Fantasy Football League. Click to enlarge:



Notably, The Orbliterators are taking on The Screaming Psychics this week.

Open Blog - Wednesday


Well, hump to it!

Monday, October 7, 2019

Iowa teacher on leave after 'sniper rifle' comment about Greta Thunberg visit



Environmental activist Greta Thunberg called out world leaders for coming "to us young people for hope." USA TODAY


DES MOINES, Iowa - A Waterloo high school teacher is on administrative leave after he left a threatening Facebook comment on a news story about climate activist Greta Thunberg's Iowa City visit Friday. 
Matt Baish, a science teacher at Waterloo West High School, posted "Dont have my sniper rifle" Thursday on an article shared from Little Village Magazine about Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish girl who has been a leading voice of youth activism around climate change.
Baish's comment, in addition to his own Facebook page, appears to have been deleted. But screenshots of his comments were posted on the Waterloo Community School District Facebook page.
The teachers and students at West received a message about Baish on Friday, saying that he was put on leave, according to an email statement by Waterloo Schools director of school and community relations Tara Thomas.

Police find $935,000 in closet of south side Milwaukee home in bust of counterfeit THC vape operation

From JSOnline:

, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, Milwaukee police uncovered nearly $1 million in cash and more than 10,000 THC vaping cartridges in a small home on a modest street on the city’s south side last week.
Police searched a 2-bedroom Cape Cod on W. Norwich Court on Tuesday, finding 18 pounds of marijuana, aside from the cartridges filled with THC oil, as well as a loaded weapon, and took into custody a couple in their 30’s living there.
According to a criminal complaint filed Saturday, police arrested Govanny "Gio" Molina, 34, and Amanda Ware, 30, both on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, use of a dangerous weapon and possession with intent to distribute more than 10,000 grams of THC or 200 plants, as party to a crime.

The cash was found in a bedroom closet tucked inside two 20-gallon plastic storage totes, one with the $450,500 and the other with $452,680. Police also found about $30,000 in a dresser drawer.

U.S. diplomat's wife flees Britain after fatal traffic accident

Open Blog - Monday


35% think Monday is for a fresh start.  20% think it's a day "that I dread."  I'm with the minority on this one.  Happy Monday.