Thursday, February 5, 2026
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Monday, November 10, 2025
How much snow did it snow around Racine and Kenosha Monday morning?
Anna Kleiber
Some Wisconsinites saw a heaping amount of snow after a strong lake effect snow band moved in over the southern half of Lake Michigan overnight into Nov. 10.
While Milwaukee County only saw trace amounts of snow early Nov. 10, eastern Racine and Kenosha counties saw upwards of 13 inches.
More snow could fall across southeastern Wisconsin in the early morning of Nov. 11, but there will only be a 20% chance of any of that accumulating, according to Benjamin Sheppard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan.
Here's what snow totals looked like Monday morning in Milwaukee-area communities.
How much did it snow last night in Wisconsin?
Here are the snow totals, according to the weather service, that were reported in southeastern Wisconsin early Nov. 10.
- Pleasant Prairie: 10.5-13 inches
- Elmwood Park: 10.5 inches
- Wind Point: 7 inches
- Kenosha: 9.5 inches
- Racine: 5.8-9 inches
- North Bay: 5.1 inches
- Franksville: 4 inches
- Sturtevant: 2 inches
Kelli Arseneau of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
Anna Kleiber can be reached at akleiber@gannett.com.
Monday, August 11, 2025
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Milwaukee County trades fireworks for drones for its July 3 celebration
Vanessa Swales
Milwaukee, get ready to celebrate Independence Day with a slight tech-savvy twist this year.
Milwaukee County, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Parks Foundation, plans to use drones instead of fireworks for its long-standing McKinley Beach July 3 celebration. The drone show will blend "cutting-edge drone technology with an original synchronized soundtrack for a dazzling 45-minute performance," featuring images of Milwaukee's iconic landmarks as well as patriotic and local themes, according to the county.
“Milwaukee County is at its best when we come together to create memorable, inclusive experiences for everyone," Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said in a news release. "We’re proud to bring the community together for this first-of-its-kind drone show, highlighting not just our beautiful lakefront but the creativity and collaboration that make Milwaukee County so special."
The switch marks a national shift in other cities across the country, including Napa, Tahoe City, and Salt Lake City, that have chosen drone shows over fireworks for July 4 celebrations. For many cities, the use of drones offers a safer, eco-friendly and noise-free spectacle. The City of Wauwatosa has also decided to ditch traditional fireworks, replacing them with a drone show July 2.
“This drone show is an exciting and environmentally conscious way to celebrate our community," Guy Smith, executive director of Milwaukee County Parks, said in the release. "Unlike traditional fireworks, drone shows reduce noise and air pollution while still delivering an unforgettable experience ... It’s about making memories and ensuring everyone feels welcome in these shared spaces.”
The display is expected to start around 9:15 p.m., with public viewing areas available at McKinley Beach and McKinley Park.
In 2024, Milwaukee County canceled its annual July 3 lakefront fireworks show due to a lack of sponsorship funding. The county's parks department previously shared that the fireworks display usually cost roughly $350,000 for pyrotechnics and $20,000 for additional staffing and service costs related to the event. The event typically draws in over 100,000 people from across Wisconsin.
Wednesday, April 30, 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/
Monday, April 14, 2025
Monday, April 7, 2025
Cops Gone Wild: Falsifying reports. Found 'not credible.' Why aren’t they on Milwaukee's list of cops with integrity issues?
Ashley Luthern
After two days of testimony about a traffic stop that ended in a drug arrest, a Milwaukee County judge had heard enough.
“You can stop,” Judge Paul R. Van Grunsven said last fall, interrupting the defense attorney who was still cross-examining a West Allis police officer.
The judge recounted inconsistencies in the officer’s testimony and body camera footage shown during an evidence suppression hearing.
“This witness has lost any credibility with this Court,” Van Grunsven said. “I find none of his testimony to therefore be truthful.”
The officer, Michael Lazaris, left the stand.
He had been found untruthful by a judge, yet he does not appear on a list of officers with credibility concerns, findings of dishonesty or bias, or past criminal charges.
He’s not the only one.
Read and see much more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2025/04/07/milwaukee-countys-brady-list-omits-police-found-not-credible-in-court-giglio-lazaris-boyack-milone/82678154007/
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Friday, February 14, 2025
DNR confirms bird flu in duck found on Lake Michigan shore in Milwaukee County
The Department of Natural Resources confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, was found in a merganser recovered in early February on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee County.
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| A hen red-breasted merganser feeds on a crayfish Feb. 9 in the Milwaukee harbor. Paul A. Smith |
A wild duck found in January along the Lake Michigan shore in Milwaukee County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, according to a Friday announcement by the Department of Natural Resources.
The bird, a red-breasted merganser, was among 21 birds taken in by the Wisconsin Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee between Jan. 2 and Feb. 10.
All were dead or so severely ill they were euthanized, said Mary Landry, WHS wildlife rehabilitator.
Bird flu was suspected in all the birds the center received. The merganser was submitted for confirmatory testing at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.
The virus, which has circulated in wild and domestic birds in North America since late 2021, has caused the largest loss of poultry in the U.S. in at least 50 years and has killed untold numbers of wild birds.
As of Wednesday the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 157.7 million poultry have been lost due to HPAI in the current outbreak. The toll on wild birds is much more difficult to estimate; 11,966 wild birds have tested positive for the disease so far, according to a USDA report. Experts say that number is a small fraction of the number of wild birds affected.
In 2022 Sumner Matteson of the DNR and other scientists documented the loss of at least 1,000 Caspian terns to bird flu on islands along the Door Peninsula in northeastern Wisconsin. That same year the virus was documented in dead adult and hatchling bald eagles in southeastern Wisconsin.
Internationally, many thousands of cranes have died during bird flu outbreaks in recent years at sites in Israel and Japan, according to the International Crane Foundation.
In recent regional events in wild birds, bird flu was found in a die-off of hundreds of waterfowl along the Lake Michigan shore in Chicago. From 200 to 300 dead birds, mostly red-breasted mergansers, were reported by observers in Illinois. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has also reported 300 dead birds, mostly Canada geese, suspected with bird flu in five Michigan counties since Jan. 1.
The disease also has shown effects, but more limited, in wild birds in the Milwaukee area in recent weeks.
Since Jan. 2 the WHS wildlife staff received 21 birds suspected of having bird flu, Landry said. The total included nine red-breasted mergansers, three Canada geese, three Herring gulls, two red-tailed hawks and one each American crow, great-horned howl, mallard and ring-billed gull.
Birds that gather in flocks and breeding colonies are particularly affected by H5N1, as are raptors that scavenge on sick or dead birds infected with the virus.
Ducks, geese, swans, eagles, hawks, pelicans, cranes, gulls and terns are among the types of birds found dead and have tested positive for bird flu during the current outbreak.
The virus has also affected mammals, including dairy cows, domestic cats, red fox, otter, bobcat and fisher in Wisconsin. Human cases of bird flu, including one in Wisconsin, have been documented but the virus poses a low risk to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The most common type of HPAI seen in wild and domestic birds is H5N1. Sequencing results are pending on samples from the merganser obtained in Milwaukee. Scientists are monitoring the virus for potential changes.
Since mid-December, the DNR said HPAI has been detected in wild birds in six Wisconsin counties: Brown, Dane, Milwaukee, Racine, St. Croix and Wood. The majority of mortality reports have been for waterfowl, including various duck species, tundra and trumpeter swans and Canada geese.
"It is important to remember that avian influenza is still present in Wisconsin, and we are seeing it affect birds in isolated areas around the state," said Jasmine Batten, DNR Wildlife Health Supervisor. "However, this winter's HPAI detections in wild birds have remained relatively low. The best advice we can give is to remain aware and avoid handling wild birds as much as possible."
According to public health officials, the risk to the human health from avian influenza remains low. However health officials recommend people avoid handling sick or dead wildlife and, when possible, prevent their pets from coming into contact with sick or dead wildlife.
If you must touch a dead bird, the DNR recommends you follow guidance provided on the the agency's Avian Influenza webpage. More information on HPAI and public health can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Avian Influenza A Virus webpage.
The DNR is interested in groups of five or more sick or dead wild birds. Depending on the specifics of the case, DNR staff will decide whether to collect a sample.
The public can report sick or dead wild birds through the DNR’s Sick or Dead Bird Reporting Form or by contacting the Wildlife Switchboard at DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or 608-267-0866.
More information on avian influenza viruses and the ongoing response to this HPAI strain is available on the DNR’s Avian Influenza webpage. The DNR will continue to update the webpage with any future HPAI findings in wild Wisconsin birds.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Friday, January 3, 2025
Cops Gone Wild: Two guards at Milwaukee County Jail charged with abuse of inmates, misconduct in office
Drake Bentley
Two former correctional officers at Milwaukee County Jail face felony charges for abusing restrained inmates by repeatedly striking them, deploying pepper spray, and in one case pulling an inmate's dreadlocks, according to prosecutors.
Rafael Gomez III, 30, and Marques T. Reeder, 25, were charged Thursday by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office. Both men are no longer employed by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.
Gomez, who was the supervisor on duty at the time of the incidents, was charged with abuse of a resident of a penal facility and two counts of misconduct in public office. Reeder received two counts of abuse of an inmate and two counts of misconduct in public office.
According to prosecutors, on Sept. 24, the two guards abused a restrained inmate, only identified by the initials SEH, who recently stripped down naked and threatened assault of the guards while in the unit that houses inmates on suicide watch. The officers would then make false and contradictory statements about the incident, prosecutors said.
Most of the events were captured on surveillance and bodycam video, authorities said.
Inmate repeatedly pepper sprayed, struck, complaint says
According to the complaint:
As Gomez and Reeder arrived for their 6 a.m. shift, SEH was already attached to a restraint bench in the hallway and was also wearing a belt that restricts movement of his hands, which are cuffed in front of him.
SEH was yelling threats and obscenities at the officers, which included Reeder. After being served a breakfast tray, SEH said he was having chest pains because he swallowed a piece of metal. Officers had Gomez and medical staff respond to the unit. The medical staff checked SEH's vitals and determined he should be escorted to the clinic.
Officers assisted SEH with getting dressed but SEH insisted that Reeder not touch him. SEH accused Reeder of threatening him the day before. Another officer told investigators that Reeder had threatened to "hurt" SEH.
Gomez did not attempt to replace Reeder as SEH grew increasingly unruly by threatening and spitting. Gomez and Reeder then unlocked SEH from the bench before attempting to stand him up and "stabilize" him so they could take the inmate to the clinic.
But soon, SEH was ordered to "get down" while Gomez and Reeder directed him to the ground onto his back and right side as SEH was "actively resisting," the complaint says.
Gomez then delivered two hand strikes to SEH's chest, according to prosecutors, before deploying two bursts of pepper spray. After the second burst, Gomez raised the spray canister and struck SEH's face twice, prosecutors said. Reeder then struck SEH twice, the complaint says.
Two other officers in the unit responded to help before Gomez deployed a third burst of pepper spray to SEH's face, according to the complaint. Reeder then grabbed SEH's dreadlocks, the complaint says.
SEH's level of resistance "lowered" when prosecutors said Reeder began rubbing his hands in SEH's face in an attempt to worsen the effects of the pepper spray. SEH began apologizing, saying, "I'm sorry, bro," as Reeder continued to rub his hands in SEH's face while Gomez held SEH's hands away from his face, the complaint says.
The officers moved SEH back to the restraint bench and they continued to strike him and pull his hair despite him not being resistive at this point, prosecutors said.
Gomez and Reeder would go on to give false statements about the events to investigators both in reports and during interviews, the complaint says.
Second inmate says he was abused
Reeder is also accused of abusing a second inmate, identified as TTS or Sullivan, in the complaint.
According to the complaint:
The inmate, TTS, was threatening to harm himself after witnessing the excessive use of the force by officers on SEH. Officers removed TTS from his cell and then moved him to a restraint bench before he attempted to spit on officers and tamper with the handcuffs.
About 40 minutes after officers removed TTS from his cell, Reeder approached TTS and began taunting him saying "spit" multiple times while holding pepper spray. TTS taunted back saying "spray me." After grabbing the inmate's neck, Reeder deployed pepper spray directly into TTS's face.
Officers scuffled with TTS, striking him as he resisted. TTS received a bloody nose during the incident but prosecutors said the clinic said he did not have any broken bones or fractures as a result of this incident.
Eventually, the officers decided that Reeder needed to be removed from the situation and initiated an "officer override," the complaint says. Similar to the first incident, Gomez and Reeder provided false statements in reports and during interviews, prosecutors said.
Both officers are no longer with MCSO
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office released a statement on Thursday announcing that both Gomez and Reeder are no longer employed by MCSO.
"MCSO holds its members to high standards, given the weight of our responsibility to protect and serve the public," the statement says. "Our commitment to those standards is evidenced by the fact that upon learning of these now-former officers’ alleged actions, MCSO detectives initiated and led a thorough investigation that provided the evidence needed for the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to file criminal charges. Subsequently, these officers, who were still in their probationary employment phase, were separated from their employment with MCSO. MCSO will continue to cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office as these cases make their way through the criminal justice system."
Gomez and Reeder do not have permanent attorneys listed yet in court records.
Both inmates received pepper spray aftercare from medical personnel, prosecutors said. Authorities began investigating the incidents after the inmates made verbal complaints regarding excessive force being used, the complaint says.
More:Milwaukee County Jail audit finds suicidal inmates handcuffed for hours, lack of training
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
The Milwaukee County Zoo's newly remodeled Penguins of the Pacific habitat opens
Amy Schwabe
The Humbolt penguins are back at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
In March, the Humboldt penguin enclosure — located near the front of the zoo — was closed for several months as the exhibit was remodeled into the newly named Penguins of the Pacific exhibit. Starting Dec. 11, the new habitat will be viewable by the public.
The $5 million renovation to the habitat — which was originally built in the 1980s — includes larger viewing windows, new shade structures, a replaced water filtration system and the expansion of the penguins' pool from 10,000 to 30,000 gallons.
During the renovation, the zoo's 15 Humboldt penguins were relocated to the flamingo building, where they were not viewable by the public.
To celebrate the penguins' return, there will be special activities at the Dec. 11 Wild Lights holiday event from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The first 500 visitors will receive a Penguins of the Pacific tote bag, and all visitors will be able to make their own penguin mask.
Zoo Guide:Everything you need to know to visit the zoo, from admission cost to hours
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Cops Gone Wild: We're teaming up with TMJ4 and Wisconsin Watch to investigate problematic police officers
Daphne Chen
Reporters have long sought Milwaukee County's closely-guarded list of law enforcement officers with a history of dishonesty, bias or past crimes.
It’s known as the “Brady list,” and for years, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office resisted efforts to release the full list publicly.
But after pressure from local news organizations, the District Attorney’s Office has released a list of nearly 200 names. Now, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is teaming up with TMJ4 News and Wisconsin Watch to investigate the officers who are — and aren’t — on the list.
The Brady list comes from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said prosecutors must disclose material that can help defendants prove their innocence, including any evidence that police may not be credible witnesses.
But there's no consistency to how prosecutors in Wisconsin maintain Brady lists, making it difficult or impossible for people charged with crimes to know if the police testifying against them have a history of dishonesty.
"This isn't a story where we're trying to do gotcha journalism or anything like that; this really is about transparency and telling Milwaukee residents what they should know about the credibility of their police officers,” said Jim Malewitz, managing editor at Wisconsin Watch.
"The hope is that by teaming up and working together, we can better serve our viewers and readers," added Tim Vetscher, news director at TMJ4. "For far too long, Milwaukee County’s Brady list has remained a mystery.”
Ashley Luthern is the deputy investigations editor at the Journal Sentinel and an investigative reporter focused on public safety, crime and policing.
"This reporting is about accountability," Luthern said. "Police officers are public employees, and their word carries enormous power, from justifying arrests to testifying against people accused of wrongdoing."
What is the Brady list?
The Brady list is a list of law enforcement officials who have lied, broken the law, or acted in a way that erodes their credibility to be a witness. It’s also known as the do-not-call list or the Brady-Giglio list.
The name comes from the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland, which ruled that prosecutors can’t withhold material that might help the defense at trial.
Where can I find Wisconsin’s Brady list?
In Wisconsin, there is no single Brady list. District attorney’s offices in each county are responsible for maintaining their own lists.
In an investigation earlier this year, Wisconsin Watch filed records requests with prosecutors in each of the state’s 72 counties. Seventeen denied the records request or said they didn't keep track. Another 23 said they had no names on file. The other counties disclosed a list of about 360 names.
Similarly, a USA TODAY investigation in 2019 found a “widespread failure by police departments and prosecutors to track problem officers,” making it challenging for those accused of crimes to properly defend themselves in court.
Why hasn’t Milwaukee County’s Brady list been public until now?
Until recently, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office had denied records requests from news organizations for the full Brady List, citing the need to protect prosecutors’ investigatory files and attorney work product.
The office released a partial version of the list that only included officers who were charged with a crime or forfeiture action. Officers who were investigated internally but never charged were excluded.
However, the Journal Sentinel and other news organizations continued to push for the entire list. In August, TMJ4 threatened to sue the county if it continued to keep the full Brady list a secret.
The following month, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office released the full copy of the list to TMJ4 and the Journal Sentinel. In a letter, the office noted that it could not guarantee the accuracy of the list.
The Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 and Wisconsin Watch are working to confirm the accuracy of the list so that it can be released publicly.
How many people are on Milwaukee County’s Brady List?
Nearly 200 current and former law enforcement officers are on the list, which goes back around 20 years. Some are accused of multiple offenses.
Of those on the list, the majority are from the Milwaukee Police Department.
The list is believed to be incomplete, given that thousands of law enforcement officers are employed across the county by more than two dozen agencies.
What kind of behavior gets you on the Brady List?
The type of misconduct that can land a law enforcement officer on the Brady list is broad, ranging from violent crimes to workplace issues. An officer does not have to be found guilty of a crime or even charged with a crime to be placed on the list.
Of the names on Milwaukee County’s Brady list, the majority involve criminal cases. Roughly a quarter involve internal investigations.
The offenses range from crimes like domestic violence or drunk driving to integrity issues like falsifying police documents or cheating on police training tests.
I have a tip about a Brady List issue. How do I get in touch?
The Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 and Wisconsin Watch are working to confirm the underlying offenses related to each officer on the list.
Readers with questions, tips or feedback about officers who should be on the list are encouraged to contact the Journal Sentinel’s investigative team at wisconsininvestigates@gannett.com.
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