2,383 Latinos/as Have Tested COVID-19 Positive In Milwaukee County Compared To Statewide Latino Total Of 5,649 Cases Reported And 49 Hispanic Deaths Due To Complications With The Virus Pandemic In Wisconsin

The conservative GOP controlled Wisconsin State Supreme Court justices ignited a spike in COVID-19 cases in the state after shutting down Governor Evers (D) "Safer at Home" order and created chaos around Wisconsin leaving most of the 72 counties without any COVID-19 restrictions to stop the spread of the virus pandemic.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 29, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WIDHS) reported at least 16,974 had tested Positive (+ 512), with 2,452 Hospitalized (+ 41), 550 Deaths (+ 11) and 220,719 had tested Negative (+ 10,114) from the previous day in the state, while Milwaukee County reported at least 7,182 Positive cases, 268 Deaths and at least 2,383 Latinos/as have tested Positive in Milwaukee County compared to a total of Hispanics statewide of 5,649, 33% of COVID-19 cases reported and 49 deaths among Latinos, 9% of reported deaths, with a majority residing in the Southside of Milwaukee. At least 599 Positive cases in a single day were reported on Thursday, making it the highest statewide COVID-19 cases in a seven day average, according to the WIDHS.

The increase in positive COVID-19 cases is due to the increase of testing sites in the state including Milwaukee County. Also the increase of virus pandemic cases was ignited by the Republican controlled State legislature, which filed a lawsuit with the Wisconsin State Supreme Court challenging Governor Tony Evers (D) extended "Safer at Home" order. The conservative WI State Supreme Court justices in a ruling 4-3 decided to shutdown Governor Evers extended order that would have lasted until May 26th leaving a majority of the 72 counties in chaos without any COVID-19 restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.

Allowing businesses and bars to open and patrons not being required to use facemasks and to also practice social distancing around the state including in Lake Geneva and other parts of Wisconsin.

Hospitals have been forced to make adjustments, since the State Supreme Court ruling to accommodate the expected Coronavirus (COVID-19) surge. Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned that on May 19, 2020, Jill M. Berg, RN, PhD, FAHA, FATA, FAAN Vice President of Patient Care sent a memo "Expanding COVID Inpatient Capacity" to all Ascension St. Francis Hospital Associates and Medical Staff saying that the "...the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have a significant impact on the country, Wisconsin residents, and Ascension St. Francis Hospital. This week we are experiencing our highest number of confirmed and suspected (PUI-Patient Under Investigation) hospitalized patients. With this continued trend, we are now moving to the next phase of our surge plan." 

"Effective immediately, the existing Cardiac Intervention Center (CIC), will serve as our ICU for our non-COVID and non-PUI critical care patients. The existing ICU will be dedicated to care for COVID and PUI patients requiring critical and intermediate level of care. This arrangement will make the unit "acuity adaptable" so we do not have to transfer patients as frequently when their care needs change. Also, happening today, we are opening 3S as a second dedicated COVID unit to accommodate our expanding needs...The continued surge we are experiencing will require us to be creative as we adapt to these changing demands and rise to the challenge..."

With the continued COVID-19 surge in Wisconsin and no actual vaccine in sight and treatment, multiple outdoor major venues like the three-day Mexican Fiesta at the Summerfest grounds in late August sponsored by the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. has been canceled including other ethnic festivals as well. Also the Wisconsin State Fair has been canceled for the first time in 75 years due to the virus pandemic.

The Latino community lost a well known doctor last weekend to COVID-19 complications. Dr. Leonardo J. Aponte, 86,  who served the Southside Latino community for nearly 45 years and provided affordable health and medical care to the residents passed away on Saturday due to complications with the novel COVID-19, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

As businesses, bars, restaurants and other venues in Milwaukee County and around the state begin to reopen, a word of advice is worth mentioning today, stay away from possible COVID-19 crowed havens and venues that don't practice facemask protection to keep droplets from spreading to others or unsuspecting victims and venues that lack the practice of social distancing restrictions to avoid getting infected by possible COVID-19 carriers.

Currently in Wisconsin, there is no law making it a felony criminal act to intentionally spread and infect others with COVID-19 when tested positive, while not wearing a facemask, not practicing social distancing and required to self quarantine.

WIDHS COVID-19 data link: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/data.htm

Update: On Friday, May 29, 2020, Wisconsin set a new record with 733 positive coronavirus cases reported in one day, according to the WIDHS.

Milwaukee Southside Doctor Leonardo J. Aponte M.D. Has Passed Away From Complications Of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Dr. Aponte served the Latino and surrounding Milwaukee community for nearly 45 years.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 23, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Saturday, Dr. Leonardo J. Aponte M.D., 86, from the Clínica Latina S.C. at thr 1200 block of S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive in Milwaukee passed away as a result from complications of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Dr. Aponte had served more than 225,000 patients in nearly 45 years of affordable health and medical care service in the Southside of Milwaukee. Dr. Aponte was general practitioner, including a family medical practice and was a certified Nuclear Medicine doctor. He spoke four languages, French, German, Spanish and English.

In 2015, Dr. Aponte in a video celebrated his 40th Anniversary in medical practice and affordable care service to the Latino community. 

Dr. Aponte worked on several projects, one of them was to create a minor surgery clinic facility to do affordable surgeries for patients saving them high cost fees otherwise charged at hospitals. The second project was to establish a resource clinic to treat drug and alcoholic addiction. 

The Clínica Latina is a full health care service provider including minor laser surgery for the last 20 years.

At first, Dr. Aponte began to treat Mexican and Puerto Rican families, today the Clínica Latina has been able to treat patients from Asia, Europe, Central and South America. Everyday, we get new patients, especially younger in age, Dr. Aponte told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) in a 2015 interview to celebrate his 40th Anniversary in medical practice.

In brief: Dr. Aponte arrived in Milwaukee from Connecticut in 1974 after finishing his Nuclear Medicine studies. He first practice medicine at the Medical Surgical Clinic at the 2500 block of W. Lincoln Ave. from September 1974 to July 1975. While at the clinic on Lincoln Ave., Dr. Aponte noticed that Mexican families weren't getting the medical services needed. On August 1975, Dr. Aponte was able to start his practice in a one room office at a dental facility with late Dr. John Gonis who established Dental Associates on S. 16th St. (later renamed S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive) and Ron Silverman, his partner who had an Optical practice. He practice medicine for four months at Dental Associates and then briefly moved to the 1600 block of W. Greenfield Ave. on the upper level of the Gull Pharmacy. He practiced medicine for the next 8 years at 1322 S. 16 St. and provided free medical consultation to Mexican families at the Guadalupe Church School.

Dr. Aponte later opened the Clínica Latina S.C. at 1238 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive in the Southside of Milwaukee.

Update: On Monday, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office listed Dr. Leonardo J. Aponte's death as COVID-19 related and a result of complications with the deadly virus and the death investigation is ongoing for final determination of his death.

Three-day Mexican Fiesta At The Milwaukee Summerfest Grounds In Late August Cancelled For 2020

Three-day Summer Mexican Fiesta 2020 in late August has been cancelled, the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. announced.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 22, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (WHSF) announced in a press release that the Board of Directors decided to cancel this year's three-day Mexican Fiesta (August 21, 22 and 23, 2020) at the Milwaukee lakefront Summerfest grounds due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing spread of the virus in Wisconsin and around the country. The extended "Safer at Home" order to control the spread of the virus in Wisconsin by Governor Tony Evers (D) was shut down by the Republican controlled Wisconsin State Supreme Court on a decision of 4-3 throwing the state into chaos, which a majority of the counties were left without any measure to control the spread of the virus and began to reopen businesses, restaurants and etc. throughout the state without any restrictions in place. In the last three days the COVID-19 positive cases have tripled in the state due to more free testing sites.

So far, there is no vaccine or actual treatment for the virus, which has claimed nearly 95,000 lives in the U.S. and as of Friday, 496 have died in Wisconsin due to virus or complications of COVID-19, with 2,259 hospitalized with the virus, 14,396 have tested positive and 172,703 have also tested negative. 

The WHSF plans to hold the Mexican Fiesta next year. Fiesta officials also confirmed, that festivalgoers who have bought tickets for the 2020 fiesta, they now have three options, they can get a refund, donate the fare to fiesta or can exchange the tickets for the 2021 fiesta event.

Biden Campaign Striked Out The Only Latino, Bernie Gonzalez That Signed Up As A Would-be Delegate Involving Five Congressional Districts In Wisconsin

Gonzalez who was the only minority in the Wisconsin Biden campaign delegate process was notified in April by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin National Convention Team that he was striked out as being a delegate or an alternate for the campaign. 

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 17, 2020

Waukesha, Wisconsin - On Sunday, the Biden campaign in Wisconsin officially got four White delegates (2 males and 2 females) for the Democratic National Convention from five Congressional districts including Waukesha. The only Latino delegate that signed up as a would-be delegate, Bernie Gonzalez, a U.S. veteran and business entrepreneur from Waukesha was notified on April 30, 2020 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin National Convention Team (DPW/NCT) that the Biden campaign had decided to strike his name out from the delegate selection process and provided no reason for their determination to oust the only minority in the process that included five Congressional districts in Wisconsin. What does it mean for those districts, well  the Biden campaign failed to include minorities (Latinos or Blacks) from the delegate process.

The DPW/NCT in an email dated April 30th to Gonzalez wrote, "Unfortunately, our team has been informed that the Biden for President campaign has chosen to strike your name from their list. This means that you are no longer eligible to be elected at your CD-level caucus as a delegate or an alternate."

Gonzalez believed in the "Vote Blue, no matter who", but after being rejected by the Biden campaign, he now doubts Biden's true objectives and policies affecting Latinos/Hispanics in Wisconsin and nationally. 

Gonzalez posted on his Facebook account on May 5th, "Joe Biden's "campaign people" just made a terrible mistake with me.  I take back what I said about vote blue no matter who!"

The Biden campaign lacks true Latino representation in the campaign itself, according to prominent Latinos in the state.

Gonzalez told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) on Sunday, "We want to be in the negotiating table, we wanna be in the kitchen and we're tired of being on the menu."

Latinos in Wisconsin were instrumental in electing Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) in 2018. Also, and to think that none of the people who worked hard in the Evers campaign were not considered for any significant role in his administration, either. It's time for a Third Party of truly progressives!, according to a prominent Latino leader from Milwaukee.

Twitter Temporarily Suspended Candice Owens Account, A MAGA Trump Follower After Making A False Claim Against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) During The Extended COVID-19 Pandemic Order

Owens violated Twitter's policy when she targeted Michigan Governor Whitmer with a false COVID-19 tweet.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 15. 2020

U.S.A. - On Thursday, Candice Owens, an African-American MAGA follower confirmed that her Twitter account had been temporarily suspended on May 1st for posting a tweet that targeted Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) during the extended COVID-19 pandemic state restrictions (Stay at Home order), which violate Twitter's policy. Owens stated in a mass emailing to MAGAs, "The people of Michigan spoke up against Big Government tyranny from their far-left Governor Gretchen Whitmer. I defended these brave Americans on Twitter so the world would know Patriots are taking a stand against egregious civil rights violations during this quarantine. As a result... Twitter banned my account."

According to Twitter, Owens's tweet violated the platform's COVID-19 misinformation policy, "specifically around heightened-risk health claims." The Twitter spokeswoman said the tweet would need to be deleted while Owens served a "timeout" before her profile could be reinstated.

Owens has gained the support from Donald Trump Jr. after being banned from Twitter, according to her. Both Trump Jr. and Owens are known to spread lies and propaganda to advance their Make America Great Again/Keep America Great (MAGA) political agendas.

So far during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 23M workers have lost the jobs and have filed for unemployment in the U.S. under the Trump administration as a result of the mishandling of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country this year. 20.5M filed for unemployment within a four week period in April 2020.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 15.7 percent for the week ending May 2, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the previous week's revised rate. The previous week's rate was revised down by 0.1 from 15.5 to 15.4 percent. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 2 was 22,833,000, an increase of 456,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 270,000 from 22,647,000 to 22,377,000. The 4-week moving average was 19,760,000, an increase of 2,729,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 67,500 from 17,097,750 to 17,030,250, the U.S. Department  of Labor reported.

Milwaukee Fire And Police Commission Executive Director Griselda Aldrete Seeks To Review SOP 453 That Regulates Officer Involved Deaths

Aldrete is seeking to review the Milwaukee Police Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 453, which deals with police officer involved deaths and other critical incidents.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 14, 2020

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, Griselda Aldrete, the Executive Director for the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission announced that she is seeking to review the Milwaukee Police Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 453, which deals with police officer involved deaths and other critical incidents. The anticipated SOP 453 review request comes on the same day that suspended Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Mattioli, 32, was charged with one felony count for first-degree reckless homicide in connection with the April death of Joel Acevedo, 25, at a house party hosted by Mattioli. If convicted, Mattioli id facing up to 60 years in prison.

The purpose of SOP 453 is to define the meaning of a critical incident and an officer-involved death incident and establish standardized responses, roles, responsibilities, and processes that ensure a thorough and proper investigation. It is specifically created to ensure compliance with the requirements of 2013 WI Act 348 as cited in Wis. Stat. § 175.47.

Aldrete in a press release recommends a review of SOP 453 and also indicated that she has recommended for the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission Board to officially review the Milwaukee Police Department's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 453 at the two (2) tentatively scheduled May meetings of the full Board, and the Policies & Standards Committee.

A Standard Operating Procedure commonly referred to as "SOP", are established directives and policies that are related to the core values and functions of the police department, and the disciplinary procedures contained within them.

"As the Executive Director, I am recommending to the Board, as the oversight entity of the Police Department, they move this item up in the review process and place this on the May 27th meeting agenda. While SOPs primarily govern on-duty conduct as a matter of state statute, greater clarity surrounding the facts of this event will inform the scope of the officer's activities on the evening in question and determine the applicability of SOP 453 to his conduct. 

Whatever the outcome of that fact-finding, 

now is the time to ensure that a strong, clear SOP regarding officer-involved deaths is reviewed thoroughly by the Board", says

Aldrete. 

The Executive Director of the Fire and Police Commission does not have the authority to place items on the agenda, cancel or schedule meetings; however, Aldrete provides guidance, recommendations, and coordination of Board operations.

Aldrete additionally stated, "The residents of the city are looking for transparency and trust in the process and I am committed to this and to ensure we are fulfilling our mission."

Suspended Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Mattioli Charged With First-degree Reckless Homicide In The Death Of Joel Acevedo

Acevedo died from blunt forced trauma to the head resulting in fatal injuries to his brain when he was severely beaten and strangled by off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer Mattioli who held a house party at his home.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 13 , 2020

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, suspended Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Mattioli, 32, was charged with one felony count for first-degree reckless homicide for the April death of Joel Acevedo, 25. If convicted, Mattioli is facing up to 60 years in prison. Mattioli remains free on a $50,000 bond.

Last month, Acevedo, of Milwaukee died from brain injuries caused by battery resulting in blunt force trauma to the head when he was severely beaten and strangled by off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer Mattioli at a house party hosted by him.

Mattioli was taken into custody pending charges and later made bail after posting a $50K bail. 

Apparently, Acevedo never recovered from being unconscious and was ultimately declared brain dead a week later at St. Luke's hospital.

According to police, on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at approximately 7:40 a.m., the Milwaukee Police Department responded to a battery complaint on the 4500 block of W. Cleveland Avenue involving an off-duty Milwaukee police officer. 

The off-duty officer was identified as Mattioli, who allegedly was involved in an altercation with Acevedo at Mattioli's home. When responding police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Acevedo, who was unresponsive. He had sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Mattioli was not injured in the battery incident, according to police.

Mattioli has over 13 years of service with the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). Per MPD's Standard Operating Procedure, Mattioli was placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the case. Mattioli is facing termination from the MPD.