A second man has been arrested for making threatening comments against police officers on social media posts in the wake of a recent police shooting in Racine. 40 year-old Bryce Bowens was charged Monday with making terrorists threats, the same charge that was lodged last week against 33 year-old Darryl Hibbler. Both were reacting angrily to the death of Donte Shannon. He was fatally shot by police after he purportedly pulled a gun on officers. District Attorney Tricia Hanson told demonstrators outside of the courthouse Monday that she expects to have in hand a preliminary report on the shooting from state investigators in about a month. Bowens is being held on a $10,000 bond. According to online jail records, it appears that Hibbler has been released from jail.
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Two Wisconsin congressmen--Republican James Sensenbrenner and Democrat Mark Pocan-- are trading jabs over Pocan's choice of a guest for President Trump's State of the Union speech Tuesday evening. Pocan has invited one of Paul Ryan's Democratic opponents, Randy Bryce, a move that Sensenbrenner said is an attempt by Pocan to score cheap political points. Although representing the Madison area in Congress, Pocan is a Kenosha native. In response, Pocan delivered a broadside against Ryan, accusing him of abandoning Wisconsin values by failing to hold open-to-the-public town halls and by failing to stand up against Trump.
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Racine's water utility has submitted a formal application to the state D-N-R to allow it to serve the planned manufacturing complex in Mt. Pleasant. The area is just outside of the Lake Michigan watershed, meaning that the city will need special permission from the state to serve the area. The utility wants to pump seven-million gallons of water a day to serve the area. Because of declines in population and manufacturing, the anticipated daily total to be pumped is still well below past usage levels. Meanwhile, Foxconn's request to the D-N-R for an air emissions permit provides the first public glimpse at the scope of regulatory requirements that the company will face. The department has created a web page showing the types of pollutants that will be produced and how the company plans to control those emissions.
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Kenosha County Sheriff Dave Beth has apologized for some of the comments he made last week while discussing a shoplifting case that ended with a chase and a crash that slightly injured a woman and her 16 year-old son. Five Milwaukee-area residents, believed to be members of a shoplifting ring, were arrested. At a news conference Friday, Beth had harsh words about the suspects, saying they should be "warehoused' for the rest of their lives and that he didn't mind if they disappeared altogether. In a statement issued Monday, Beth said he allowed his emotions to get the better of him, saying he'd been thinking about the woman and her son. Beth said he met Monday morning with two members of the Kenosha N-Double-A-C-P, and now realizes that his comments could've offended some people.
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Alleged thefts of equipment from a Kenosha Unified elementary school purportedly happened over a several-year period, and reportedly occurred over the objections of some school staff. The principal of Bain Elementary---Cherise Easley--was formally charged Monday with misconduct in office. She was released on a signature bond. According to the criminal complaint, Easley and her husband periodically took items that she said they needed for the daycare and the church that they ran in Milwaukee. In one such instance, a custodian said he told Easley that it wasn't right for her to take items, but then she got other custodians to help her. In another case, a music teacher said Easley asked to use a keyboard. The teacher said she let her take it because--quote--"she calls the shots." Easley is on paid leave, but a K-U-S-D spokesperson said the school board will be asked soon to terminate her contract.
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