Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Cops Gone Wild: Greenfield police chief placed on paid leave pending review of workplace concerns, city says
Adrienne Davis
Greenfield's police chief has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a review of workplace concerns, and the city's Police and Fire Commission will be appointing an acting police chief, according to the city.
Chief Jay Johnson was placed on leave April 25, Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke said in an April 30 statement issued by the city in response to media inquiries.
Neitzke said the city is conducting an "independent review of recent workplace concerns."
“Our priority is to ensure a thorough, fair process and to maintain the continued safety and effective service of the Greenfield Police Department for our community,” Neitzke said in the statement.
When contacted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Neitzke said he had no further information to share.
The city scheduled a special Police and Fire Commission meeting for 6 p.m. April 30 to discuss the appointment of an acting police chief, according to the agenda.
Inquiries to the Greenfield Police and Fire Commission were not immediately returned.
Johnson was appointed chief on April 4, 2019, according to the City of Greenfield's official website. He began his law enforcement career in March 1992 after serving two years with the Town of Brookfield Police Department.
He was promoted to sergeant in 2001, lieutenant in 2008 and captain in 2012.
This story will be updated.
A creative twist: First Fridays return May 2 to highlight Racine's 'creative spirit'
Caroline Neal
RACINE — With summer just around the corner, First Fridays are back with a creative twist.
This year, local art businesses — including Hot Shop Glass, Racine Art Museum, Vintage & Modern Books and Artists Gallery — have teamed up with Downtown Racine Corporation to host a Creative Crawl.
Giving attendees an opportunity to explore the arts community, the Creative Crawl will act as a kickoff to the First Friday season, which starts May 2, but organizers will continue the theme throughout the year.
On Friday, attendees will be able to visit downtown shops to hear from local and visiting artists and to create some work of their own.
“We’re hoping to spread arts throughout the community, from Sixth Street all the way down to Main Street, down to George’s,” said Tricia Blasko, a Creative Crawl organizer. “We’re trying to spread it around as much as possible and really just show the creative spirit that is in Racine and celebrate the arts as much as possible.”
Activities for the crawl will be located throughout downtown.
Racine Art Museum will have a live DJ and art-making stations, and Hot Shop Glass will host a visiting artist for a live glass blowing demonstration.
Attendees can stop by Vintage & Modern Books to hear from local authors, catch a cello performance at Photographic Design Gallery or head to Hotel Verdant to talk with the artists whose works hang on the walls.
Participants can also collect stamps on an Arts Passport for a chance to win prizes.
According to Creative Crawl organizer and Artists Gallery Director Jen Janzer, non-art establishments also will be participating. For instance, Reefpoint Brew House will host a woodturner.
“It’s a way to really diversify and push people out into the entire downtown,” Janzer said.
Blasko, who works as Racine Art Museum’s director of education and serves on the DRC board, said the idea started when the board was brainstorming an arts-focused event.
The main goal of the Creative Crawl is to gather people downtown, “share our love of the arts,” and show the diversity of arts in the area, she said.
Since March, downtown business owners, including Hot Shop Glass co-owner and founder Amanda Cosgrove Paffrath, have worked to plan the event.
Collaborating with other businesses, Cosgrove Paffrath said, has been a “blast” and allowed her to build relationships in a new way.
Heather Novotny from Vintage & Modern Books said working with other downtown businesses was “invigorating.”
“It gives me energy to meet with other folks around and like-minded people with the goal of just growing creativity in the arts, which is so important for community and people of all ages,” she said.
For Novotny, Racine’s arts community is vibrant, eclectic, unique and accessible.
“I think that’s fantastic because you really have the chance to explore and create,” she said. “Not everyone in the city really realizes what a wealth of creativity and variety we have within the art scene. The hope for the Creative Crawl is to give more exposure to the vibrant art scene.”
This, she said, includes the literary arts movement in Racine.
“As a bookstore and a community space, we’re really trying to create a space also for creativity,” she said. “Books are well known to spark the imagination. You can learn just about anything.”
Cosgrove Paffrath said she believes the goal of the Creative Crawl is to showcase creative businesses that “live downtown all the time.”
“These aren’t just pop-ups. These are businesses that are art-centered and creative and are here all the time,” she said. “By collaborating, we’re going to be able to draw people from a broader market.”
With Hot Shop Glass being in the downtown community for two decades, Cosgrove Paffrath is familiar with First Fridays.
“To some people, First Fridays is a band at Monument Square, but I know from my own experience as a merchant, there were a lot of people that loved to walk around and go in and out of stores and see what was new and see what was happening,” she said.
Janzer, a local potter, said she’s looking forward to the public interacting with artists.
“It’s a time for people to come and see behind the scenes of how people do things and how people create,” she said.
In addition to welcoming authors to the store, Novotny said she’s looking forward to seeing community engagement and discovery with the arts.
“I’m hoping we get a lot of traffic downtown — a lot of people just discovering the different things there are to do,” she said.
Cosgrove Paffrath recognized that Racine’s downtown — home to businesses like an arts cooperative, a glass blowing studio and jewelers making hand-crafted items — is unlike other communities.
“My hope is that people come and get how lucky we are to have this creative community, both as artists but also as consumers and tourists.”
Janzer wants the Creative Crawl to show people the different ways to participate, even if they aren’t well-established artists.
“There’s all sorts of things that people can get involved in, she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Blasko echoed this sentiment, adding that she hopes attendees leave the event understanding the creative opportunities in Racine.
“Everybody is creative, no matter what people say. There’s so many opportunities to get involved in the arts as a spectator, a maker, a doer or a volunteer,” she said. “There are no limitations to ways that you can get involved.”
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Mother found guilty of child neglect sentenced
RACINE — A 35-year-old Racine woman was sentenced in a child neglect case Friday.
Dashja Turner was originally charged with five counts of neglecting a child wherein the consequence is great bodily harm.
During a Feb. 7 hearing, Turner was found guilty of three charges after pleading no contest. The two remaining charges were dismissed but read into the court’s record.
For each of the three charges, Turner was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of extended supervision. The sentences for each charge will run consecutive to each other.
Turner was charged alongside Laquan Russell, who is facing two counts of neglecting a child wherein the consequence is great bodily harm and three counts of child abuse with intentionally causing harm.
Online court records show he is scheduled to appear in court May 30.
According to previous Journal Times reporting, Racine police officers and Child Protective Services conducted a welfare check at a residence on Metron Court on July 31, 2023.
They reportedly found “four frail, unkempt children laying on” a mattress in a basement room, and in another room, they found Turner and a fifth child.
The children, ranging in age from 1 to 14, were taken to a Wauwatosa hospital. There, they were found to be hypothermic, underweight and malnourished. Previous reporting reflects that two of the children reportedly had injuries consistent with physical abuse.
23-year-old pleads not guilty in child pornography case
Caroline Neal
CALEDONIA — A 23-year-old Caledonia man pleaded not guilty to possessing child pornography during an April 25 hearing.
Christopher Dufay is facing 20 counts of possessing child pornography, which is a felony.
According to previous Journal Times reporting, Dufay was arrested after the Caledonia Police Department received a cyber tip from Internet Crimes Against Children.
The tip included eight videos and a Kik account with an IP address associated with a residence in the 2700 block of Holly Grove Court and an account name of Christopher Dufay.
CPD served a search warrant for the account, which showed 209 images/videos had been downloaded or shared by the account owner. CPD reportedly found 20 distinct videos containing child pornography.
Investigators also searched Dufay’s residence and seized several items as evidence, according to previous reporting.
Man faces charges after allegedly messaging young girls
Caroline Neal
MOUNT PLEASANT — A 41-year-old Yorkville man has been arrested after he allegedly messaged young girls online.
Steven Lachance faces one count of child enticement; one count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime; and three counts of causing a child over the age of 13 to view/listen to sexual activity.
Online court records show Racine County Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch set a $10,000 cash bond during a hearing April 23. Lachance is scheduled to appear in court April 30.
According to a criminal complaint, the Mount Pleasant Police Department began investigating after receiving a report from BOOPAC’s Promise, a nonprofit dedicated to exposing child predators.
The report detailed that someone from the organization had posed as “Ashley,” a 14-year-old girl, and engaged in online messages with a “Daniel,” who was identified as Lachance.
On April 14, MPPD took over the investigation, and an officer continued posing as “Ashley.”
According to the complaint, the chats reportedly made clear to Lachance that “Ashley” was 14 years old. He allegedly said he was 41, asked if she was “open to dating an older guy,” and said he “would love to date her,” according to the complaint.
The officer posing as the child and Lachance arranged to meet at a fast-food restaurant in Mount Pleasant. On April 17, Lachance’s van arrived at the restaurant and he was arrested.
Lachance reportedly told MPPD that he had spoken to teen girls online for about a month and had exchanged photos.
Monday, April 28, 2025
Marquette women's basketball team adds former Racine star Sam Logic to coaching staff
Ben Steele
The Marquette women's basketball team added a familiar name to its coaching staff.
Head coach Cara Consuegra announced on April 28 that she has hired former Racine Case High School standout Sam Logic as an assistant.
The 32-year-old Logic was a McDonald's All-American and the Miss Basketball winner in 2011.
"I am very excited to be back home and join the Marquette women's basketball family," Logic said in a statement. "I believe in Cara and her vision for her program and I cannot wait to get to campus and help build on the success of this team."
Logic played at Iowa from 2011-2015, becoming a second-team All-American as a senior. When she graduated, Logic was the only player in NCAA history to have at least 1,500 career points, 800 rebounds, 800 assists and 200 steals.
Consuegra is also a former Iowa player.
Logic was the 10th pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft and she played 27 games in one season with the Atlanta Dream and the San Antonio Stars. She also had several stops in foreign leagues.
"We are excited to have Sam join our staff," Consuegra said. "Sam is someone I've known and respected for a long time. She is a high character individual who aligns with our program's core values. Her outstanding college experience and years of playing professionally will bring a unique perspective to our players and impact our program right away."
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Friday, April 25, 2025
Thursday, April 24, 2025
It's a boy: New baby camel born at Milwaukee County Zoo
Jim Higgins
A male camel calf was born April 20 at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The Zoo showcased its newest resident in a gender-reveal video posted on Facebook and X.
He weighed 99 pounds at birth.
The baby boy has not been named yet; the Zoo is still determining how it will name him.
After a checkup on April 21, the Zoo declared "mom and baby are doing well." He explored the outdoor camel habitat with his mom for the first time April 23, a Zoo publicist said in an email message.
This new Bactrian camel joins his sister Leilani, born May 20, 2023, at the Zoo to mother AJ (Addie-Jean) and father Stan. AJ also delivered calves in 2017, 2019 and 2021; they went on to live at other zoos.
From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/2025/04/24/new-male-camel-born-milwaukee-county-zoo/83247650007/
42-year-old pleads not guilty in child pornography case
Caroline Neal
RACINE — A 42-year-old Racine man facing more than 20 charges related to child pornography pleaded not guilty during an April 23 hearing.
In March, Edgar Cruz was charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia; one count of intentionally possessing a child sex doll; one count of sex offender fail/update information; and nine counts of possessing child pornography.
On April 16, Cruz was charged with 12 additional counts of possessing child pornography.
According to a criminal complaint, investigators with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office started looking into cyber tips that included Kik and Reddit accounts using a single IP address.
A warrant return on the Kik account reportedly revealed multiple images or videos of child pornography.
Investigators connected the tips to an address in the 800 block of Berkeley Drive, where they learned Cruz had previously lived.
They also learned that Cruz was currently being supervised by the state Department of Corrections, following a conviction of second-degree child sexual assault.
On March 3, investigators searched Cruz's current residence in the 1700 block of Grange Avenue, located near a school playground.
Previous Journal Times reporting indicates that during the search, RCSO investigators reportedly found an object believed to have been molded to resemble a small child. Cruz also reportedly said that his DNA would be on the object.
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