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Unfortunately, many auto repair shops are owned and operated by swine.  I know of two honest mechanics in Racine.  One is honest to all of his customers. The other is honest to his friends.  I ran an auto repair shop in Chicago.  I know the scams, though we never would have kept a car for moths or even years.  That's insane.  

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Electric vehicle drivers in Wisconsin to pay new charging fee starting Jan. 1

From The Journal Times.com:

MITCHELL SCHMIDT

Beginning after the first of the year, electric vehicle owners in Wisconsin will have to pay a new tax when filling up at a charging station.

The new 3-cent per-kilowatt-hour tax was approved in legislation passed earlier this year with the hopes of bolstering the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure and securing federal funds for additional charging stations along major highways and interstates.

The new tax represents “a crucial source of revenue for maintaining Wisconsin’s roadways and infrastructure,” David Casey, secretary of the state Department of Revenue, said in a statement. “It will help ensure continued funding for road repairs and construction as Wisconsin drivers increasingly make the switch to electric vehicles, while creating a more equitable system in which all drivers contribute to road maintenance costs,” Casey continued.

What is the new tax?

Previously, businesses that wanted to operate EV charging stations had to be regulated as a utility.

The new law exempts private businesses from the rule but requires that they sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour — that is, by the amount used — rather than by the length of time it takes to charge a vehicle.

A new electric vehicle tax in Wisconsin is intended to help the state raise money to build more EV charging stations along state highways and interstates.

JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES

Business owners must also pay a 3-cent per-kilowatt-hour excise tax on electricity sold through an EV charging station. That tax is applied to the total kilowatt-hours delivered regardless of whether the owner charges the consumer for the electricity.

Under the new law, any new charging stations built on or after March 22, 2024, as well as all current and future Level 3 chargers in the state, must charge for power by the kilowatt-hour and collect the excise tax. Residential chargers are exempt from the tax.

EV charging stations are characterized as Level 1, 2 or 3, with the third level being the fastest in terms of how long it takes to charge a vehicle.

Anyone who owns or operates an electric charging station must register with the state. Registration can be done online at the Department of Revenue’s online business tax registration website, tap.revenue.wi.gov/btr.

New revenue?

There were nearly 12,000 electric passenger vehicles and more than 15,000 electric trucks registered in the state as of September, according to the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles. That doesn’t include electric cycles or autocycles.

The state Department of Revenue estimates the excise tax will generate about $3.35 million in revenue next year and about $3.85 million in revenue the following year. However, that number could be lower depending on how many EV drivers charge up at home. The state Department of Transportation previously estimated the tax to generate up to $314,000 in fiscal year 2025.

State officials say funds generated by the excise tax would go into Wisconsin’s transportation fund, which is used to fund infrastructure projects like roads and bridges.

How did we get here?

The new tax is tied to legislation passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Tony Evers in March.

The law was passed shortly before the deadline for Wisconsin to tap into more than $78 million in federal funds — first approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2022 — aimed at boosting the number of EV charging stations along state highways and interstates.

The state can also apply for another $2.5 billion in competitive funding if it meets program requirements, including that stations charge by the kilowatt-hour.

The DOT plans to use that money to help develop dozens of new charging stations.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/wiconsin-electric-vehicle-charging-station-bill-legislation-excise-tax-resident-transportation/article_0892a55d-9582-5562-ac8c-7a0ae7cbbfa0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Bomb threat closes government buildings Monday, sheriff's office says

From The Journal Times.com:

ANNIE PULLEY

RACINE COUNTY — Bomb threats called in to the Racine County Communication Center and two Milwaukee news stations Monday reportedly threatened City Hall, the Racine County Courthouse and the Department of Motor Vehicles in Sturtevant.

The Racine County Communication Center received a 911 call Monday from an automated voice that reportedly made bomb threats directed at “various governmental buildings in Racine County,” according to a news release from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office.

Racine Police Department’s Public Information Officer Sgt. Kristi Wilcox also said she received two calls from Milwaukee news stations reporting that they received bomb threats targeting City Hall, the Racine County Court House and the DMV.

“Explosive K9s were dispatched to check these buildings for any kind of explosive devices. No explosive devices were found,” Wilcox said.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said the Sturtevant DMV location was evacuated and closed Monday. Services remained available online.

Racine County closed the courthouse and the Law Enforcement Center “out of an abundance of caution” and evacuated all nonessential personnel, the RCSO release said.

Officers and explosive K-9 teams continued to sweep the buildings Monday afternoon, but reportedly had not found anything suspicious, according to the sheriff’s office.

“There are no known future threats to the public, and all county buildings and agencies are expected to resume normal functions and hours of operation tomorrow,” the release said. “The Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Bureau is actively investigating this incident.”

RCSO continues to investigate the origin of the call, according to Public Information Officer Lt. Michael Luell.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/bomb-threat-closes-racine-county-buildings/article_770d9124-79ce-11ef-b2ac-7731eae8c054.html#tracking-source=mp-homepage

Be wary of this new fake Wisconsin DMV scam

From TMJ4:

Photo by: Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles

An example of a smishing text claiming to be from the DMV.

By: TMJ4 Web Staff

Posted at 12:43 PM, Feb 07, 2022

 

and last updated 1:38 PM, Feb 07, 2022

Be cautious of a scam circulating Wisconsin that pretends to be the DMV to get your personal information.

The Wisconsin DMV has said it received multiple reports of fraudulent text messages. These texts ask for identifying information or credit cards. This is known as smishing (SMS phishing).

Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles

An example of a smishing text claiming to be from the DMV.

If you click on the link, it will direct you to a fake DMV website with spaces for you to fill out that information.

“Working with the Wisconsin DMV has never been easier, but customers always need to be vigilant online,” DMV Administrator Kristina Boardman said. “Don’t reply or call the number from unknown texts. And don’t be fooled by panicky wording in the message. To be sure, you can always start at wisconsindmv.gov, give us a call or drop us an email to confirm.”

The majority of all DMV related activities should be through a .gov website. Always check the end of the URL to make sure it's a legitimate website. Also, if the text message seems fake it probably is fake. Be on the lookout for awkward sentences and spelling mistakes too.

From: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/be-wary-of-this-new-fake-wisconsin-dmv-scams

Because of COVID-19, 16- and 17-year-olds don't need road tests to get driver's licenses. The DMV wants to make that permanent.

From JSOnline:dmv

Amy Schwabe

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Last March when the COVID-19 pandemic caused Wisconsin to shut down, DMV administrators had a problem. How could they comply with COVID safety standards while avoiding a massive backlog of driving tests and license renewals? 

Wisconsin's Department of Transportation responded by waiving the road test requirement starting May 11, 2020, for 16- and 17-year-olds to get their first probationary driver's license. Pending legislative approval, it would like to keep doing so. 

Instead of passing a road test to get a license, the parents of 16- and 17-year-olds can sign a waiver, as long as the teenagers have had their instruction permit for a minimum of six months; have completed an approved driver training education course; and have completed 30 hours of supervised driving time with their parent or adult sponsor.

Read more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/wisconsin-family/2021/05/12/wisconsin-teenage-drivers-can-waive-road-test-get-drivers-licenses/4971592001/

Traffic roundabouts may frustrate drivers, but they save lives, greatly reduce injuries from crashes

From JSOnline:

Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Forget about politics. If you're looking for a fight in Wisconsin, start talking about roundabouts. 

The circular intersections that have popped up all over the state tend to ignite serious passion among motorists. 

“You talk to friends and family and you run into a lot of (roundabout) haters,” said Jim Schwalen, a senior vice president at West Bend Mutual Insurance in West Bend. “It seems to be a polarizing topic. You either love roundabouts or hate them.

“It’s just an interesting topic.”

It's also a big deal in Wisconsin.

"Wisconsin has the most roundabouts of any state on its state highway system," said Andrea Bill, a traffic safety engineer and researcher at the University of Wisconsin's Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory. 

Andrea Bill is the Traffic Safety Engineering Research Program Manager at the Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Photo: University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Washington and Indiana might have more when you count municipalities, but for a state highway system, we're tops for roundabouts.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says there are about 500 roundabouts on the Badger state's highway system. The DOT says the number is probably higher because it does not include every local roundabout. 

Bill has studied roundabouts for a decade and what she has found may surprise those who hate the traffic calming systems: the chances of being killed or maimed in a crash fall to almost zero in roundabouts compared with standard intersections.  

“Overall, we see fatalities and serious injuries almost go down to nothing” in roundabouts, Bill said. “They don’t eliminate everything," but they do “reduce, overall, fatal and injury crashes by a significant number.”

A series of roundabouts are located off I-43 at Racine Avenue in New Berlin. The installation of roundabouts at the two interchange ramps saved approximately $1 million by eliminating the need for additional bridge width and associated lane width that would have been required for an intersection with traffic signals. (Photo: Chelsey Lewis and Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Read more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/06/18/wis-roads-have-more-roundabouts-than-any-state-and-they-save-lives/4671133002/

Live coronavirus updates: Officials prepare to open facility at State Fair Park to handle overflow patients

From JSOnline:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

6:15 p.m.: DMV implements new restrictions on in-person services

The Department of Motor Vehicles is implementing more restrictions on in-person services because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Until further notice, the service centers will be closed to all in-person transactions except for commercial driver licenses, voters needing identification who need to use the identification card petition process and new Wisconsin residents who need a driver’s license or ID for voting. And those services are available by appointment only.

To make an appointment for one of these services during the Safer at Home order, call the DMV Communication Center at (608) 264-7447.

People can still perform all vehicle-related transactions including renewing registration or obtaining titles for vehicles and changing addresses by mail, through third-party providers or online - wisconsindmv.gov

Also, all driver license and commercial driver license renewals are extended 60 days and emissions testing requirements have been deferred. Registration renewals should still be completed by mail or online by the renewal date.

And all non-commercial driver license skills tests have been canceled until further notice.

- Meg Jones

6 p.m.: Officials prepare to open coronavirus facility at State Fair

As projections show coronavirus cases in Milwaukee County will likely peak by mid April, officials are close to opening a facility to handle overflow patients at State Fair Park.

Dr. Ben Weston, Director of Medical Services, Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, said a request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to open a coronavirus facility at State Fair “is moving forward quickly.”

Army Corps of Engineers officials have given authorities here “positive feedback that it will happen soon,” Weston said at a Tuesday afternoon media briefing.

A team to operate the facility is being put together and officials are working to identify the criteria for patients to be housed at State Fair, said Weston.

- Meg Jones

5 p.m.: Amazon hires 700 new employees in Wisconsin to meet surge in demand

Amazon said this week it has hired more than 80,000 employees to meet the surge in demand from people buying items online and having them delivered. 

The digital company, now one of the world’s largest retailers, said it has hired more than 700 new employees in Wisconsin.

“The new hires in Wisconsin fill a range of roles, including picking, packing, and shipping customer orders and delivering packages from delivery stations to meet the needs of the COVID-19 demand surge,” Amazon said in a statement.

Many of those who were hired have been “impacted by layoffs related to COVID-19 and come from a variety of fields and life situations, including restaurant cooks, bartenders and servers, flight attendants, teachers, business owners, personal trainers, valet drivers, rideshare drivers, retirees, part-time workers whose jobs are now on hold, and people ‘who just wanted to help out,’” according to the statement.

Amazon says it is continuing to hire. Interested candidates can visit www.amazon.com/jobsnow to apply. 

The jobs “start with minimum pay of $17 per hour through the end of April, which is an increase of $2 per hour since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and come with company benefits on day one, for full-time and some part-time positions,” according to the statement.

— Joe Taschler

4:20 p.m.: County buses in Milwaukee will be limited to 10 people

Starting Thursday, Milwaukee County buses will allow only 10 people onboard because of the need for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

County Executive Chris Abele announced the change Tuesday afternoon and said the county is putting more buses on busy routes to handle passengers.

If a bus already has 10 people on board, it will not stop to pick up passengers.

“I apologize to people who have to wait longer,” Abele said.

He reiterated concerns about overcrowding in the confined spaces of buses and said they should be used only for workers who need to travel to essential jobs or used to go to medical appointments.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, buses are “not there just for a convenience,” said Abele.

- Meg Jones

12:55 p.m.: Wisconsin National Guard sets up isolation facility for homeless

The Wisconsin National Guard has set up an isolation facility for the homeless in Milwaukee County on the grounds of the St. Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis. 

The facility plans to be manned with 10 medics and 15 other "citizen soldiers" to provide 24/7 support to those who want to be safe from the coronavirus or protect themselves from infecting others.  

The City of Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee County Housing Division designated Clare Hall at the property as the isolation facility for referrals from the area homeless shelters and health care facilities that have individuals who are struggling to find stable housing. 

The National Guard expects to house individuals in the facility later this week. 

— Ricardo Torres

10:01 a.m.: Is alcohol business suffering? Molson Coors says it is

Even as alcohol sales have risen during the coronavirus pandemic, Molson Coors warns that its overall business could be harmed by the shutdown of bars, restaurants, sporting events and festivals.

A weakened economy alone could encourage consumers to buy cheaper drinks, said the Chicago-based brewer with a large presence in Milwaukee in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

“Under difficult economic conditions, consumers may seek to reduce discretionary spending by forgoing purchases of our products or by shifting away from our above-premium products to lower-priced products,” Molson Coors said in the March 27 filing.

The bigger impact could be from lost sales at bars, restaurants, sporting events, festivals and other large gatherings. “We expect that such closures may increase as COVID-19 continues to spread globally,” the company said.

Molson Coors warned that its business in 2020 could be “significantly affected” by the impact of COVID-19. 

Still, U.S. sales of alcoholic beverages rose 55% in the week of March 21, according to the most recent figures from market research firm Nielsen, largely as consumers rushed to fill their pantries amid the fear of shortages.

Spirits like tequila, gin and pre-mixed cocktails led the way, jumping 75% from a year earlier. Wine sales were up 66%, while beer sales rose 42%.

— Rick Barrett

7:50 a.m.: Waukesha church hosting emergency blood drive

Due to the overwhelming needs of the community, Fox River Christian Church is hosting a blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon and 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at the church, W46 W24130 Lawndale Road, Waukesha.

The church is also holding a food drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Easter Sundayat the Waukesha location as well as the Muskego campus, S67 W19491 Tans Drive. The food drive is a drive-thru and drop-off event. All events adhere to the COVID-19 protection guidelines

— Debi Eimer

6:45 a.m.: 2 sheriff's employees, including deputy, test positive

Two Milwaukee County sheriff's employees tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement from the sheriff's office late Monday night.

“We continue to see the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community and now into the workplace," Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas said. "We will continue to take every precaution to ensure the safety of the members of the Sheriff’s Office, the people entrusted to our care and the community we serve.”

These cases mark the first two positive cases of coronavirus in the department. The sheriff's office has conducted an internal contact tracing to determine if either member had contact with other members of the sheriff's office. 

According to the release, the officers include a deputy sheriff in the Court Services Division and a stores clerk in the Milwaukee County Jail, and both are in self-isolation.  

The deputy, assigned to the Vel R. Phillips Youth and Family Justice Center, was sent home April 1 after experiencing symptoms of the virus. She later was tested and found to be positive for COVID-19. The deputy’s daily assignment did not involve contact with in-custody youths or members of the public. 

The stores clerk, assigned to the property room at the Milwaukee County Jail, was sent home March 26 due to an elevated temperature. The clerk was later tested and found to be positive for COVID-19. The clerk’s duties and responsibilities do not involve any contact with the public or persons in custody.

UPDATE: The first version of this entry indicated that two sheriff's deputies had tested positive instead of one deputy and one stores clerk

Read more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/04/07/coronavirus-wisconsin-latest-updates-cases-cancellations/2959900001/

DMV made a woman walk without her cane before it would renew her license. She fell and broke her wrist.

From JSOnline:

Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mary Wobschall fell and broke her wrist trying to walk without her cane at a Division of Motor Vehicles office in West Bend. A lawsuit says the DMV violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when its examiner told Wobschall she couldn't renew her driver's license without the walking test. (Photo: Hupy and Abraham)

A Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles worker told a 78-year-old woman she had to walk across the room without her cane before she could renew her license.  Under protest, the woman complied, and in the process fell, broke her wrist and was denied renewal. 

Was it illegal discrimination or careful screening of a potentially dangerous driver? A federal court may decide after the woman's estate filed a civil rights lawsuit over the incident. 

Before she went to renew her driver's license in West Bend last year, Mary Wobschall visited an optometrist to make sure her 78-year-old vision was still fine. Diagnosis: No corrective lenses required for driving.

But she hadn't expected a DMV worker to make her walk across the lobby without her cane, which she used since double knee replacement years earlier. 

Her husband, Ronald Wobschall, objected and asked the examiner how walking without her cane related to his wife's license renewal. The examiner insisted, and Mary got up, without her cane, and tried to follow orders.

She fell and broke her wrist. The examiner denied her renewal and gave her a form saying she would need a general medical examination "due to fall at DMV + confusion" before she could renew.

Wobschall had surgery on her wrist. She died four months later, from other causes.

Her estate's lawsuit contends the examiner, whom a West Bend DMV manager refused to identify when the Wobschalls returned seeking that information nine days later, acted with malice and deliberate indifference to Wobschall's rights.  She had not filled in her badge number as required on the medical form.

According to the suit, if a DMV worker thinks an applicant needs to be seen by a medical professional, he or she is supposed to issue a 60-day temporary license. Wobschall's suit says his wife was not issued that license and was told she had until the end of the month to renew or lose her license.

Making applicants who use canes or other "personal mobility devices" like crutches demonstrate they can walk without the device as a condition of getting a license violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act and Wobschall's constitutional guarantees of due process, according to the suit.

"A DMV license examiner employed by Defendants is not qualified to make a determination of whether an individual possesses a physical condition, impairment, or disability that might prevent such individuals from exercising reasonable and ordinary control in the operation of a motor vehicle," the suit states.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for Wobschall's physical and emotional pain and suffering, mental anguish and medical expenses.

The lawsuit doesn't mention any other medical conditions for Wobschall when she sought to renew her license on June 11, 2018. According to an obituary, she suffered a stroke near retirement that "gave her many challenges as years went on."

A Wisconsin DOT spokesperson said no one would discuss the issues raised in the lawsuit because the case is pending.

Contact Bruce Vielmetti at (414) 224-2187 or bvielmetti@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ProofHearsay.

Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe to the Journal Sentinel today.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2019/12/11/dmv-made-woman-walk-without-her-cane-she-fell-and-broke-her-wrist/4383915002/