Lakewood Police Officers Killed Over The Weekend By Known Suspect Identified

(Clockwise from top left) Lakewood Police officers Greg Richards, 42,; Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39; Tina Griswold, 40; and Ronald Owens, 37; are pictured above in this handout released by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department on November 29, 2009.

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 30, 2009

Washington -Homicide investigators are searching for a known suspect in the deaths of four Lakewood police officers over the weekend.
On Sunday morning at about 8:15 a.m., the four officers were shot and killed at a Forza coffee shop in Tacoma, a Washington suburb of Parkland.
The gunman escaped and a $15,000 reward for information and arrest has been offered. Police are searching for Maurice Clemmons, 37, in connection with the four Lakewood police officers deaths.
On Monday, a SWAT team went to a Seattle residence where Clemmons was believed hiding, but when police entered the home they found that he had eluded them. An acquaintance of Clemmons told police, Clemmons had said that he wanted to shoot some police officers a day before the four officers were killed.
Investigators are trying to figure out what led Clemmons to ambush, and execute the officers while they drank coffee and logged in to their laptops before startng their shift.
The officers deaths have sent shock waves to other police departments throughout the nation. Numerous police departments are reviewing procedures and talking to officers concerning their safety while they are in public.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Chheda Elected Milwaukee Democratic Party Chair

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 30, 2009

Milwaukee -Sachin Chheda was elected Chairman of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County on November 23, 2009, and is serving his first term as the head of the party in the district. He and his team ran unopposed, and claimed victory last week Monday. The Chheda for Chair website says the following, Chheda has a long history in supporting Democratic candidates, policy, and organizing. He started as a College candidates, policy, and organizing. He started as a College Democrat at UW-Milwaukee, led the local campus effort to elect Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992, and went on to serve as President of the College Democrats of Wisconsin. of the College Democrats of Wisconsin.
Chheda currently works as a partner at Nation Consulting, a Wisconsin-based public strategies firm. He is an experienced nonprofit advocacy, communications, and government relations professional at Nation Consulting. Chheda is focused on serving nonprofit advocacy groups and contributing to progressive social change in his work. He works primarily with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and with the Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition, as well as assisting with the firm’s other clients.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Man Sought In Connection With Four Lakewood Police Officers Deaths

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 30, 2009

Washington -Lakewood Police homicide investigators are searching for a person of interest in connection with last Sunday's ambush killings of four police officers. They identified Maurice Clemmons, 37, as the suspect wanted for questioning concerning the homicides at a Forza Coffee shop in Parkland.
Four Lakewood officers were at the coffee shop at about 8:15 a.m. before the start of their shift when one or two suspects walked in and began shooting and executing the officers while they were logged to their laptop computers, the Pierce County sheriff's office reported Sunday. They are also involved in the homicide investigation.
One officer struggled with a suspect and managed to discharge his weapon before being fatally shot. The suspect might have been shot before fleeing the scene, investigators confirmed with evidence found at the crime scene.
Two employees and other customers were inside the coffee shop, but none of them were the intended targets, according to the sheriff's office.
The Lakewood Police Department identified the victims as Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39; Officer Ronald Owens, 37; Officer Tina Griswold, 40; and Officer Greg Richards, 42.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

Editorial: Mayor Tom Barrett for Wisconsin Governor?

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 23, 2009

Milwaukee -It's unfortunate, will the issue of Milw. Police Chief  Edward A. Flynn's ongoing affair with Jessica McBribe affect Mayor Tom Barrett's chances of succeeding for governor? Who would be willing to support Barrett after he looks the other way and let a self confessed felon who carries a gun (but has not been charged or convicted) continue to lead the Milwaukee Police Department. Adultery is still a felony in WI, and Barrett condones it, as well as the Police Commission and the Common Council, corruption? Sure, it might look that way! What do you think?
Even, former Waukesha District Attorney Paul Bucher who filed a divorce against McBribe his wife claiming both McBribe and Chief Flynn continued the affair after Flynn said it was over. Now. Bucher wants Flynn fired!
Milwaukee Police Department has a policy, if an officer is found to have committed an illegal act even if they are not charged or convicted he/she are subject to be fired by MPD and the Fire and Police Commission. There been many cases which police officers have been fired for violating dept. policy and it doesn't cost tax dollars to discipline.
In this case, the Fire and Police Commission, Common Council and Mayor Barrett (Dem.) are looking the other way. Is Chief Flynn above the law? NO, and by those to say it's a personal matter, well those who commit crimes do it as a personal matter, too and get fired or convicted.
GOOD LUCK Mayor Barrett!

H1N1 Vaccine Shot Clinics In Milwaukee

Flu shots provided by the City of Milwaukee, and Tamiflu-resistance swine flu found in North Carolina

November 20, 2009

Milwaukee (HNNUSA) - City health officials had another H1N1 vaccine clinic at South Division High School on Friday. Hundreds of people including children were vaccinated from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
H. Nelson Goodson received an H1N1 vaccine shot from Carlos I. Velázquez one of Milwaukee's finest EMS fire fighters at South Division in the 1400 block of W. Lapham Ave. Goodson said that he decided to get the shot after city health officials allowed anyone to get the shot as a preventive measure. People waited at least 30 minutes to get process and received the shot. This was the second clinic offered to the general public.
On Nov. 13, health officials vaccinated about 2,900 high risk people including children at South. State health officials confirmed 30 deaths contributed to the H1N1 flu virus. The flu shots were provided free of charge to the public by the City of Milwaukee.
North Carolina health officials reported a drug resistance H1N1 flu virus has been discovered at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham. Doctors say the Tamiflu-resistance mutated virus has spread to four patients at the Center and five patients at a hospital in Wales have also contracted the mutated virus.
Health officials say the current H1N1 flu vaccine could become useless in treating the mutated swine flu virus.

Castro Cancels Act At Rave In Milwaukee

Milwaukee promoters paid more than 57,000 dollars to accommodate Christian Castro's live performance

By H. Nelson Goodson
November 15, 2009

Milwaukee- The Christian Castro Sunday's live performance at the Eagles/Rave was cancelled by Castro at the last minute. Castro arrived at the Rave before 9:00 p.m. and decided not to perform after noticing about 150 people including 4 women who actually paid $110 for the VIP section. Before departing from the Rave, Castro took time to take pictures with promoters and their guests.
One of the MC's (emcee/ Master of Ceremonies) said, Castro had told them that after looking over the Rave (apparently not high class as expected)and the few people who attended he was not going to waste his vocals to perform. The performance was suppose to begin at 7:00 p.m., but the official announcement about his cancellation was aired at 9:00 p.m.
Two other groups, Unique and Grupo 323 were scheduled to perform.
"We spent more than 57 thousand in publicity, lights, sound equipment, huge digital video screens, and he acted unprofessional, lacked ethics, and is not a real singer," Alex Preciado, one of the MC's said about Castro.
Preciado said, the people who bought tickets at a local store will get their money on Monday. Those who bought tickets through the Internet will be refunded as soon as possible. To please those who attended the Castro live performance were given tickets free of charge to attend a performance of Cafe Tacuba on December 4, at the Eagles/Rave, Preciado added.
Castro was paid a deposit of $20,000 in advance to perform. He could not be reach for comment at a local East side restaurant where Castro and his manager went to eat afterwards. Patrons at the restaurant noticed both Castro and his manager were stranded at the restaurant after his Limo driver left without letting them know he was called back to the Rave by promoters. No information was provided how Castro returned to Chicago.
Castro performed last Friday at the Congress Theater in Chicago. Cristian Castro (born Cristian Sáenz Castro or Cristian Valdez on December 8, 1974 in Mexico City) is a Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer. He is referred to as "Christian Castro", "Cristian", or "El Gallito Feliz" (The Happy Little Rooster).
He is the son of renowned actress and singer Verónica Castro and comedian Manuel "El Loco" Valdes. Castro also has a younger brother named Michelle Sáinz Castro, his uncle is José Alberto "el Guero" Castro and his aunt is Betty Sheridan, who both are producers. As a baby, he made his acting debut with her during the telenovela named El Derecho de Nacer. Soon after, he appeared on a television commercial with her, and on the Mexican version of the broadway show Mame alongside the prominent actress Silvia Pinal.

Latino Business Growth In Milwaukee's South Side

New Chupi's Beef food stand opens despite economic stagnation

November 9, 2009

Milwaukee (HNNUSA)-Last Friday, November 6, Eduardo and Leslie Velez owners of E&J Records, 1242 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. opened a portable Chupi's Beef food stand in front of their business. The new addition adds flavour to the S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. predominately Mexican business district by offering hot dogs, tamales, Polish sausages, bratwursts, and pop corn along the strip.
Eduardo began his E&J Record business about 15 years ago with his brother Joselito Velez on the 1100 block of W. Greenfield Ave. After five years in business they bought a new building at the 1200 block of S. Chavez Dr. Joselito later sold his half of the partnership to Eduardo and since then, both Eduardo and Leslie who have their roots in Puerto Rico have been managing their growing business.

The predominately Hispanic South Side district is one of the primary districts for generating tax revenue, including fees for licenses, permits, violations, etc., for the City of Milwaukee. City officials cited, "the Near South Side consistently showed signs of robust investment, business, and property value growth. Between 2002 and 2006, sales price per building square foot increased each year and rose from $39 per square foot to $61 per square foot. The annual value of all construction investments increased from $37.8 million to $124.1 million and averaged $56.3 million. The value of land per square foot for residential, commercial, mixed, and industrial use increased and exceeded that for the City of Milwaukee as a whole," according to the City of Milwaukee market study.
A city economic study reported that the south side households in the predominately Latino community located inside Postal Zip Code 53204 in Milwaukee spend more than $91 million annually in retail goods, according to the 2006 Department of City Development statistics. In one day, they spent approximately $249,315.06. The biggest tax-generating base for the city comes solely from the south side.
In Milwaukee, over 850 Hispanic owned businesses generate more than $225 million in annual sales. It is abundantly clear that the immigration of Hispanics and undocumented immigrants to Southeastern Wisconsin is tied to a large degree to the available resources that Hispanics have in the area.
In Wisconsin, over 3,000 Hispanic owned businesses generate more than $800 million in annual sales, creation of jobs and available employment resulting in population growth as well as business growth. The Hispanic population increased by more than 4%, greater than the national Hispanic growth rate, and more than 271,000 Hispanics lived in Wisconsin in 2007. The population of Hispanics has grown by 40% since 2000, according to the U.S. Census report.
H. Nelson Goodson representing Taxpayers for Immigration Reform says, "Taxpayers for Immigration Reform based in Milwaukee has been advocating nationwide since last Summer for Latinos and supporters of immigration reform to continue to shop at Latino owned businesses and businesses which support our community." The Velez family business is a good example of small business growth, which depends on its area residents, businesses, immigrants, and tourists visiting the near South side to succeed. Goodson says immigrants spent their hard earned money on food, shelter, retail goods, and support small businesses like the Velez E&J Record business, and as taxpayers do pay taxes on just about everything on a daily basis. Taxpayers are not required to be U.S. citizens to pay them.
"We as Latinos and immigrants do have an economic impact in this nation, especially in the City of Milwaukee, and we need an effective strategy for financial management of our economic purchasing power which totals in the billions of dollars to influence immigration reform.
We should continue to invest, shop and spend our money in businesses and entities in our communities that respect us, do welcome us, and support immigration reform like the Velez E&J Record business," said Goodson.
There are three major factors for the 890 billion dollar boost of our economy that is generated by undocumented immigrants. Their economic contributions is a major boost to the U.S. economy with the combined value of their labor, their stimulus on our economy, and the taxes they pay, according to a University of California-Los Angeles study by Raul Hinojosa.
Undocumented immigrants from Mexico alone contributed between $154 billion and $220 billion to the Gross Domestic Product of the United States in 2000, and undocumented immigrants paid up to $20 billion in Social Security taxes between 1990 and 1998.
Immigrants paid $80,000 per person more in taxes during their lifetime than they received in public benefits as of 1998; due to immigrants' younger age profile compared to the "native" population, immigrants will contribute up to $500 billion to
Social Security from 1998 to 2022, according to a report by the Office of Migration and Refugee Policy and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
U.S. born children to undocumented immigrants are included and considered illegal in most studies.
However, they do contribute to our economy by paying taxes, working and buying homes, goods and services adding to the stimulus on our economy just as their parents do.
The City of Milwaukee continues to draw small Latino business growth along S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. despite an attempt by some city aldermen in the Licensing Committee who were trying to pass a citizenship ordinance 090411 in late September. The ordinance was put on hold after three prominent Latinos, Tony Baez, CEO of the Spanish Speaking Council, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera and H. Nelson Goodson, of Taxpayers for Immigration Reform from the South side protested the ordinance during the committee hearing. Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski moved to put the ordinance on hold that would require anyone applying or reapplying for a professional or commercial license or permits to have legal alien status in the country. The ordinance remains in committee while the City Attorney's office and Common Council President Willie Hines complete their fact finding concerning the ordinance. Hines confirmed that the Common Council will make another attempt to introduce the measure once again at a later date.
Mayor Tom Barrett said he opposed the ordinance, but Hines says the Common Council doesn't need Barrett's approval to pass the citizenship ordinance. Also, Maria Monreal-Cameron, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has sent a letter to Alderman Hines and the Milwaukee Common Council opposing the citizenship ordinance.