May 7, 2026 4p
From WGTD News:
Racine's Willow Newell is nearing the end of her reign as Miss Wisconsin. Speaking recently on Community Matters, Newell said she's been busy crisscrossing the state, fulfilling both large and small appearance requests. She'll crowd her successor June 20th. After that, the Carthage College grad plans to go after a Master's Degree and become a professional writer.
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Contract negotiations between members of the Kenosha Racine News Guild Local are stalled over wage issues. In a social media post, the union says it has been unable to convince Lee Enterprises--the owner of the Racine Journal Times and the Kenosha News--to pay what it terms a living wage to reporters and other members of the guild. According to the union, Guild members make $20.55 an hour, forcing many to take side jobs. A national study puts the hourly living wage in Racine at $21 and in Kenosha $23. There's been no comment from Iowa-based Lee.
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Kenosha Unified is looking for suggestions on renaming the Chavez Learning Station, home of Head Start in Kenosha--at 6300 27th Ave. Renaming is the result of an outcry following allegations that the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union sexually abused women. The district is in the process of forming a committee to review recommendations. Anyone interested in serving should contact the district office by May 20th. The committee is scheduled to meet in early June, with the school board expected to pick a new name at the end of the month.
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Several dozen high school students from Racine and Kenosha will be awarded more than a half-million dollars in scholarships at Friday night's Reaching for Rainbows "Pursuit of Excellence" Scholarship Gala held at Carthage College. Organized by the Mahone Foundation, this is the event's 26th year. More than 650 community members are expected to attend the sold out event.
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A house fire is expected to break out Friday in Kenosha's Uptown neighborhood, but it's nothing to worry about. The Kenosha Fire Department will be conducting a training exercise in a size in a vacant building at 2214 57th St. Live fire exercises will begin around nine a.m. with a final burn-down occurring at 2 p.m. A few streets in the area will be closed.
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