Friday, August 30, 2013

Perez Response To Sexual Harassment Dismissal Of TRO Injunction

Irene Agape Correa and Manuel "Manny" Perez

Perez claims it was envy, political powerplays, or false statements that led to an attack on Esperanza Unida.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 30, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, Robert Miranda, executive director of Esperanza Unida released a statement from its general manager Manuel "Manny" Perez. Last week, a temporary restraining order (TRO) injunction hearing resulted with a dismissal and the injunction denied against Perez. 
A court comissioner determine it was a misunderstanding between Irene Agape Correa and Perez and not harassment.  
Correa, 35, is the President of  United Hands Across the City, a mental health clinic run at the Esperanza Unida, 611 W. National Ave. filed a TRO on August 8, which claimed that Perez on several occasions grabbed her arm and once tried to grope her while caressing her, but when another person walked in on them and Perez stopped.
Perez stated, "I know that many of you are awaiting for a public statement from me after Court Comissioner Nancy Schurm dismissed the allegations against me from Mrs. Irene Correa last week."
"As you well know, I am not new to false allegations or envy. The Court issued its determination. As before, I will not engage in public controversy that only harms the mission that I know we all share independent of political positions or personal interest...and that is the betterment of the quality of life of the workers, an improved economy where all benefit, and a thriving comunity with great citizens and a skilled, independent workforce that takes control of their lives.
"Why is Esperanza Unida, its Exec Director, Board and myself being attacked? Simply put, because we are intent on bringing prosperity to the Milwaukee South Side, the workers, the private sector, and the overall comunity. We have the passion and resolve to achieve results in collaboration with all other organizations, including yours here at the 611 Building - that have been working for many years in the Milwaukee South Side...and we are focused on overcoming obstacles and implementing the improvements that are needed to achieve these goals in a most utilitarian manner. In just a few short months we have achieved many things, but we have a long way to go!!
"Therefore, this is really not a Press release...it is a statement of policy that I know -independent of specific / individual positions- we all share. I know that you care because you care about eliminating poverty.
So, let's not be divided by envy, political powerplays, or false statements. Instead, let's unite all our efforts and further drive prosperity to the Milwaukee South Side with focus on results."

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Rodriguez To Leave Milwaukee's Telemundo 63

Sandra Torres, H. Nelson Goodson and Laura Rodriguez

Torres to replace Rodriguez as anchor on Milwaukee's Telemundo 63.

August 28, 2013

Milwaukee, WI  (HNNUSA) - On Wednesday, H. Nelson Goodson from Hispanic News Network U.S.A. was interviewed by Sandra Torres and Laura Rodriguez from Telemundo 63 about Mexican Fiesta 2013 allegedly discriminating and violating the rights of festivalgoers with the aid of the Milwaukee Police Department. Fiesta told Telemundo they reserve the right to refuse admittance to anyone, but will discuss the issue at their next Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation Board meeting.
Torres worked at Chicago's Telemundo and NBC 5 as a morning producer for 2 years. She will air her first newscast tonight at 10:00 p.m. and will replace Rodriguez who announced that Friday will be her last day with Telemundo. Goodson's interview tonight at 10 p.m. on Telemundo 63 in Milw., WI.
Rodriguez began working at Telemundo two years ago and was able to produce, do the weather, anchor news along with Carlos Vergara, and was an effective bilingual speaker and writer for the newscasts. The management at CBS 58 who owns Telemundo 63 will now have to hire two persons to do Rodriguez's production and other abilities that made her an outstanding news anchor and professional news investigator representing the Hispanic community.
She will move to Florida where her family resides and will continue her journalistic profession.


Milwaukee Police profiling at Mexican Fiesta 2013? (Telemundo 63 news video at) http://bit.ly/17mNzCt

A.B. Quintanilla Having Double Knee Surgery

A.B. Quintanilla

Quintanilla having knee surgery, but won't stop him from dancing cumbia.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 28, 2013

Texas - On Wednesday,  A.B. Quintanilla, a popular Tejano singer and band player who is the brother of the late Selena announced in his Facebook (FB) account, that he is having double knee surgery today. Quintanilla posted, "SUPRISE!!! Guess who's getting double knee surgery today!! Looks like I won't be dancing Qumbias for a little while. Wont stop me, still gotta be on the grind!!!!"
He added a photo of himself on FB seating in a hospital bed and looking sad wearing a hospital garment.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

10 Wisconsin Republican Legislators Introduced English First Bill

Andre Jacque

State Representative Jacque's bill would make English an official state language, use of English for governmental written expression, acquiring language proficiency, and use of languages for nongovernmental purposes.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 27, 2013

Madison, WI - On Friday, State Representative Andre Jacque (R-DePere) has introduced AB-340, an English first bill would require local and state governments to provide all of their documents in English. The bill was referred to the Committee on State Affairs for consideration. Jacque's rationale for the bill, it would make immigrants learn English.
The bill also prohibits the state or local governments from restricting residents from learning other languages. The bill has some exceptions that would allow the use of another language;

● To protect the health, safety, or liberty of any citizen
● To teach or study another language
● To protect the rights of a criminal defendant or victim of a crime
● To promote trade, tourism, or commerce
● To facilitate activities relating to the compilation of any census
● To comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
● To use a proper name, term of art, or phrase from a language other than English
● To comply with the constitution and laws of the United States or the constitution of this state

The bill was also sponsored by the following Republican State Representatives John Nygren, Mark Born, David Graig, Dean Kaufert, Samantha Kerkman, Stephan Nass, Alvin Ott and Dan Pridemore, including the following co-sponsors state Republican Senators Alberta Darling and Don Pridemore.
Jacque's bill would most likely limit how bilingual elected officials, Milwaukee County Supervisor Peggy Romo-West, State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milw.) and Milwaukee 12 District Alderman José Pérez communicate with their large Spanish speaking constituency.  
Another similar English first bill in 2009 was introduced by former State Representative Marlin Schneider (D-WI Rapids), but failed when it was never considered by a majority Democrat controlled Assembly.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Milwaukee's Mexican Fiesta Facing Boycott For 2014

Excercising free speech with the birds and P.O. Alexander C. Ayala

Photos: Facebook 

Editorial:

Mexican Fiesta, the Milwaukee Police Department, Latino Peace Officers Association and the City of Milwaukee facing possible legal action for alleged illegal acts by local police and Fiesta officials.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 26, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - Over the weekend, Milwaukee Police Officer Alexander C. Ayala confirmed, that the Milwaukee Police Department was using their Intelligence Center (IT) to help identify alleged gang members or affiliated members inside the Summerfest grounds during Mexican Fiesta 2013 in order to kick them out of the festival and bar them from ever attending the event. The reason according to Ayala, they want a family environment and no violence. 
Multiple victims who were at the festival were singled out and identified by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) as "past, present or future" gang members,  according to Ayala's explanation. In fact, non of those escorted out or kicked out were ever provided with any proof of the allegations brought upon them by Officer Ayala, the security volunteers of the Latino Peace Officers Association (LPOA) or MPD. Is the intelligence used from IT accurate enough to kick someone out of fiesta? What ever happened to due process? 
The victims that were kicked out didn't even get refunds and the practice to "identify" had been active for the last three years.
Were any of the people kicked out gang affiliated? So what, it's not illegal to belong to a gang. It only becomes illegal when a gang or a member engages in criminal activity.
Mexican Fiesta should embrace the community and not discriminate its people, which it profits from to generate funds for scholarships. Also, Fiesta should be helping to steer the younger generation from gangs and should be paramount instead of making them outcasts as Officer Ayala attempts to portray.
Even Mexican Fiesta volunteers of the event were stopped inside the grounds and got their tattoos checked out first before they were allowed to continue after they showed their official Fiesta badges. 
The abusive actions undertaken and the gross misconduct by LPOA, MPD and Mexican Fiesta has no doubt led to claims of civil rights violations ever witnessed in public or at a public grounds in nature as Summerfest, which the grounds are owned by the City of Milwaukee. 
Ayala says, the policy in the back of the ticket authorized him and Mexican Fiesta to refuse admittance or kick anyone out. For no reason?
Many can agree with Ayala and Fiesta, but they better make sure that they have just cause to do so, simply because the U.S. Constitution or the protections afforded by the Civil Rights Act don't stay outside the festival grounds. The fundamental rights of people and especially, the undesirables are exclusive and has no limits or boundaries in the U.S., according to the founding fathers. 
Some members of the Latino community have become outraged by the use of police to violate the rights of people at Mexican Fiesta. As more people in the Latino community learn of what happened at Fiesta, they don't agree with the festival's discriminatory policy.
Numerous postings in Facebook (FB) are calling of a boycott of Mexican Fiesta in 2014. Others in FB posted, they will boycott the fiesta until a public apology is given for what Officer Ayala and MPD did. 
But, it should go further than that, Ayala should be removed from Mexican Fiesta, including those who authorized him or appoved the use of such a discriminatory policy. 
An independent internal investigation should be conducted to determine,  if the officers involved violated department policy. Also, all those officers who engaged in alleged illegal acts should be fired from the department. Were the officers that ignorant that they didn't know they were actually violating people's rights and stood by or even engaged in the acts?
Well Mayor Tom Barrett, the Milwaukee Common Council, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and the Fire and Police Commission have a lot of explaining to do for their lack of action in making sure people's rights were not being violated since, the policy or police action was implemented at Mexican Fiesta in 2010.
If Police Chief Flynn authorized IT to be use to illegally profile people as gang members even thought they were not, he should step down as chief. The use of IT at a festival for the purpose of kicking people out without any just cause or even the fact that the victims didn't commit an illegal act is unwarranted. 
One thing for sure, both the Mexican Fiesta and MPD have been identified with a four letter word for their policy to profile or identify, "F..K Mexican Fiesta and Milwaukee Police," according to postings going viral on Facebook and in the Hispanic community.
When police lose the respect of the community it has sworn to serve and protect, the department is viewed as corrupt and it's time to clean house!
Milwaukee should not be surprised, if t-shirts expressing what is going viral on FB, "F..K Mexican Fiesta and Milwaukee Police" does become the current style to freely express dissatisfaction with MPD and Mexican Fiesta.
A sad day for all those honest, dedicated and hard working police officers to endure and brought about by what the community is labeling as a few bad cops and a discriminatory festival policy.


The current Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (WHSF) Board of Directors who operate the annual Mexican Fiesta are;

● Antonio Guajardo Jr. (President)
● Gregorio Montoto (1st Vice President)
● Ricardo Ruiz (2nd Vice President)
● Arturo Martinez (Secretary)
● Ernesto Baca (Treasurer)
● Teresa Mercado (Executive Director)
● Ray Bacalzo
● Frank Gonzales
● Woody Welch
● Marjorie Cervera
● Oscar Cervera
● Julio Maldonado
● Luis Gonzalez
● Julio Guix
● Lupe Martinez
● Ruben Burgos
● Jason Hyland
● Diana Moreno
● Asael Ruiz
● Darryl Morin

These Board members can be contacted for information regarding Mexican Fiesta 2013 or WHSF.

Milwaukee Police profiling at Mexican Fiesta 2013? (Telemundo 63 news video at) http://bit.ly/17mNzCt

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Five Dead And 15 Immigrants Seriously Injured In La Bestia Freight Train Car Derailment

Bottom photo courtesy of Tabasco Hoy.

More than 250 undocumented immigrants were riding on La Bestia freight train car when it derailed early this morning.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 25, 2013

Tabasco, Mexico - On Sunday, the state Secretary of Tabasco confirm that its Public Security Agency and the 30th Military Regiment in the area reported that 5 were reported killed and 15 undocumented immigrants have been seriously injured from 35 that were reported injured during an early Sunday La Bestia (Beast) freight train car derailment. All the immigrants are originally from Honduras. The train car derailed around 3:30 a.m. at a ranch called La Tembladera in the municipality of Huimanguillo, about 6.2 miles from Tancochapa, Veracruz, according to authorities. 
The injured were flown by helicopters to hospitals in Choapas, Veracruz for medical treatment.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

LPOA Volunteers, Milwaukee Police And Mexican Fiesta Ban Suspected Gang Members From Annual Event 



MPD Officer Alexander C. Ayala wearing white cap.

Numerous people were wearing yellow and black at Fiesta.

Photos: HNG/HNNUSA

Anyone identified (profiled) as a possible gang member, wearing colors, face tattoos or affiliated to any suspected gang by police intelligence at the Summerfest grounds is being denied entrance to the festival.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 24, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Saturday, Milwaukee Police Officer Alexander C. Ayala, an acting Latino Peace Officers Association volunteer for security at Mexican Fiesta 2013 denied entrance to a 30-year-old man and didn't even refund his money at the festival front gates. The 30-year-old man was kicked out on Friday because he was wearing yellow and black and was apparently identified by Milwaukee police as a gang member.
Hundreds of people were wearing yellow and black at the festival, including on Saturday and they were still allowed to remain at the event.
The 30-year-old man on Saturday was wearing a t-shirt saying Texas and was entering the fiesta grounds with family members to enjoy a day of festivities when Milwaukee Police Officer Borst stopped him and told him he was not welcome to the Summerfest grounds. The incident drew attention publicly and people entering the grounds stopped to noticed the incident.
Officer Borst then talked to Officer Ayala who was called to the scene about the man. Ayala told family members that they and Mexican Fiesta had a right to refuse admittance to anyone, making reference to the back of the ticket policy. He said that police intelligence had identified the would-be festivalgoer as a gang member or affiliate and was cause enough to ban him from the festival, despite that the 30-year-old man had done nothing illegal on Friday at the grounds. He was never cited for any wrong doing at the festival.
The 30-year-old man's mother asked Officer Ayala to identify the police intelligence source and Ayala denied the request.
Officer Ayala also threaten to kick out Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) from the festival, banned for Sunday or even get arrested for disorderly conduct for covering the incident and trying to give advice to Ayala that, what he was doing could possibly be grounds for a lawsuit by the 30-year-old man and his family. Ayala would not take the advice and would not listen to reason, since they have been practicing their alleged right to kick out, refuse admittance, ban people from the Summerfest grounds during Mexican Fiesta for the last two years. Ayala didn't even care about a costly lawsuit resulting from Saturday's afternoon incident.
Ayala told HNNUSA that they have been kicking people out from the festival or barred people for the last several years due to their police intelligence of identifying suspected or would-be gang members, in order to keep it a family festival.
Officer Ayala said that the 30-year-old man "was identified by the Milwaukee Police Department last night as a (gang name excluded) member...we have a right to kick out anybody out (according to the back ticket info.) and we are exercising that right...he was told not to come back and he is trespassing."
"Gang members are not allowed in the festival...this is a family environment and we don't want any gang members past, present or future. No gang members allowed. We had this for the last three-years and this (policy) is nothing new. If you're identified as a past (name of gang excluded) or any gang member or a current gang member, you are not allowed on the grounds. This is a family environment and we don't want any violence, so we are not discriminating against anybody because of sex, gender, race or anything...we are not labeling, we are identifying...if you want to sue Fiesta, do it the right way, send them a lawsuit, don't threaten me or warn me," Ayala said.
The mother and father of the 30-year-old man say, that they will seek legal advice and possible legal action against LPOA, Mexican Fiesta and the Milwaukee Police Department for deliberately discriminating their son and violating his civil rights at the Summerfest grounds.
Apparently,  Officer Ayala, Mexican Fiesta, the Milwaukee Police Department and members of the LPOA haven't been well-trained to avoid profiling people or ban people from the Summerfest grounds because its considered public in nature, even though World Festival rents the grounds to the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. who run the three-day Mexican Fiesta annually. Mexican Fiesta is the only ethnic cultural festival who rents the Summerfest grounds and actively discriminates against people who are identified or suspected of being gang affiliated by police intelligence sources at the grounds, HNNUSA found. Even Summerfest and other ethnic festivals that take place during the summer at the grounds don't aggressively discriminate as Mexican Fiesta does.
Summerfest was previously sued by the Milwaukee Outlaws because security and police kicked out members of the Outlaws for having their Colors (vests with club logo) on. Summerfest lost the lawsuit and it was ruled that they could not simply kick out anyone because they were wearing their club logo.


The current Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (WHSF) Board of Directors who operate the annual Mexican Fiesta are;

● Antonio Guajardo Jr. (President)
● Gregorio Montoto (1st Vice President)
● Ricardo Ruiz (2nd Vice President)
● Arturo Martinez (Secretary)
● Ernesto Baca (Treasurer)
● Teresa Mercado (Executive Director)
● Ray Bacalzo
● Frank Gonzales
● Woody Welch
● Marjorie Cervera
● Oscar Cervera
● Julio Maldonado
● Luis Gonzalez
● Julio Guix
● Lupe Martinez
● Ruben Burgos
● Jason Hyland
● Diana Moreno
● Asael Ruiz
● Darryl Morin

These Board members can be contacted for information regarding Mexican Fiesta 2013 or WHSF.

Alexander Ayala

Photo: Facebook



Also on Saturday, Rafael Hernández posted on Facebook (FB)  that on Friday, he was escorted out of Mexican Fiesta by Milwaukee police for having tattoos in his face. On Saturday, he covered his face with "tattoo cover-up" and went back to Fiesta, but unfortunately he was again escorted out by police. No refunds were given.
Is the Milwaukee Police Department, LPOA and Mexican Fiesta ripping off people by keeping their money after being kick-out of Fiesta?
Even Mexican Fiesta volunteers of the event were stopped inside the grounds and got their tattoos checked out first before they were allowed to continue after they showed their official Fiesta badges.
FB  friends send messages to South Side Milwaukee County Supervisor Peggy Romo-West and to 12th District Alderman José Pérez about the current discrimination people are facing at Fiesta by police, LPOA and Mexican Fiesta. This type of discrimination has been taking place for the last three years and how many victims were kick-out without getting a refund.
According to comments made in Hernández's FB account by friends, Fiesta and Milwaukee police are turning out to be known in a four letter word "F..k Fiesta Mexicana and police" identities, which is going viral on FB. It sure has become one bad public relation static (nightmare) used by police and Fiesta in dealing with good community relations, marketing and making money or trying to reach out to the younger generation.
Mario Reyes posted on FB, "I am the coordinator for the Mexican Fiesta car show and personally know Rafael Hernández for 20 years. I can guarantee you he has never been in a gang and a matter a fact doesn't even consume alcohol or any drugs at that! I stated this to security and they didn't want to hear it. I also was to told by Officer Ayala that I should be prepared to receive a lot of complaints from my fellow car enthusiast, I said why he stated because he cut some of them slack just for the car show but since it was about to end and some of them were starting to go enjoy the the festival he was going to escort them out! Also my co- coordinator was pulled to the side and asked to see his tattoo on his arm when he stated he was a volunteer for Mexican Fiesta he was told we have to check yours too!"
By HNG/HNNUSA


Milwaukee Police profiling at Mexican Fiesta 2013? (Telemundo 63 news video at) http://bit.ly/17mNzCt

Friday, August 23, 2013

Four Dead And Eight Banda Pequeños Musical Family Members Injured During Rollover Accident In Jalisco

Four women reported dead after driver lost control of his SUV near Las Cajas in the state of Jalisco.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 23, 2013

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - On Wednesday,  Gerardo Franco Macías, 33, a member of the Banda Pequeños Musical lost control of his white Honda CR-V, a four door SUV and rolled over multiple times resulting in the death of two women passengers at the scene. Two other women passengers later died at the Lagos de Moreno Hospital, while 8 family members, including seven minors were reported injured, including Macías.
They were identified as María del Carmen Ayala Franco, 35; Kimberly Yareli Mesa Ayala, 15; Eduardo Joel Velázquez Ayala, 14; Guadalupe Franco Gómez, 14; Karyme del Carmen Ayala Franco, 11; Gerardo Guillermo Franco, 9; Audri Naomi Pérez González, 7, and Kenya Samantha Ayala, 1.
El Milenio dot com reported that Macías was speeding and had twice the number of occupants allowed in the SUV while driving along the highway from Lagos de Moreno to San Juan de los Lagos before reaching Las Cajas. The SUV also had a wore out rear tire that did not support the over weight and failed to maintain the pressure, according to the Milenio.
Banda Puequeños Musical released a statement that Macías lost four members of his family in the accident, but the band will continue to fullfill their prior obligations and commitments. The deceased were identified as Macías' wife, María Gómez Islas, 32; his mother, Josefina Macías Ortega, 79; mother-in-law,  Gudelia Islas García and his sister, María Guadalupe Franco Macías, 54.
Both Gómez Islas and Macías Ortega died at the scene after suffering multiple injuries to their bodies and head trauma during the rollover. Macías was slightly injured during the accident and was released from the hospital.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Murguia, Former Director Of El Centro Hispano Passed Away After Losing Battle With Cancer

Dr. Filiberto Murguia

Murguia served as executive director for the Council for the Spanish Speaking for more than three decades.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 21, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, Dr. Filiberto Murguia, 82, passed away after losing his battle with cancer. Murguia was admitted to the Zilber Hospice several weeks ago after deteriorating from liver cancer, his daughter Carmen Murguia announced. Dr. Murguia served as executive director for the Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc., also known as El Centro Hispano or Spanish Center for more than three decades.
In 2010, the Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc. renamed the Loyola Academy High School campus, 1645 S. 36th St., to the Dr. Filiberto and Carmen Murguia Campus. Carmen is Dr. Murguia's wife.
In 1964, El Centro Hispano became the first Latino serving non-profit community based organization in Milwaukee. A few years later, El Centro evolved into the Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc., according to their website.
In 1973, Dr. Murguia became the CEO of the Spanish Center and then retired 30 years later in 2003.
Murguia's daughter in 2010 during her father's dedication ceremony of the Loyola Acadamy renaming said, that her father first came to the U.S. from Mexico and was using his brother's legal papers because he was undocumented and couldn't speak English. Just four months in the U.S., he was drafted by the military in his brother's name and served 60 months in the Korean War. He actually learned the Korean language first, before learning English. Soon after the war, he became a U.S. citizen and later became the CEO of the Spanish Center. When Murguia took over the Spanish Center in 1973, it had a budget of more than $200,000 and when he retired in 2003, the Council was operating on a budget of more than $5 million.
The Council operates on a yearly budget of more than $6.8 million (2007-2008) and manages six housing complexes for low income elders able to live independently. It operates an Adult Education Center, the Loyola Academy High School, Guadalupe Head Start (manages 7 Head Start locations) and a Family Resource Center at the Dr. Filiberto and Carmen Murguia Campus.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

TRO Injunction Case Dismissed Against Perez, General Manager From Esperanza Unida

Irene Agape Correa and Manuel "Manny" Perez

Perez had denied sexual harassment claims by Correa, the head of a mental health clinic at Esperanza Unida.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 20, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, a temporary restraining order (TRO) injunction hearing resulted with a dismissal and the injunction denied against, Manuel "Manny" Perez, the current general manager for Esperanza Unida. Irene Agape Correa, 35, President of  United Hands Across the City, a mental health clinic run at the Esperanza Unida, 611 W. National Ave. filed a TRO on August 8, which claimed that Perez on several occasions grabbed her arm and once tried to grope her while caressing her, but when another person walked in on them and Perez stopped.
Two people, Daniel Martinez and Damon Dersey testified for Correa and four people, Jose Lopez, Kathleen Oleson, Evelyn Alicea and Robert Miranda, the executive director for Esperanza Unida testified for Perez, according to court records.
Martinez, Correa's father testified that he walked in when Perez was gripping his daughter's arm and then Perez left. But, a Milwaukee County court commissioner believe it was a misunderstanding between both Correa and Perez, "not sexual harassment." Correa will request a review, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Perez had denied Correa's claims and believed he would be exonerated in court, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Correa who runs a clinic rent free claimed, Perez had threatened to get rid of her from the Esperanza Unida building.
Correa has not announced, if she will pursue legal recourse against Perez or Esperanza Unida, since her request for a continuance of a TRO injunction was denied. Perez also has not released a statement concerning the outcome of the TRO in his favor.
Robert Miranda, the executive director of Esperanza Unida released the following statement from the Board, "the board is aware of and monitoring the allegations made against the organization's general manager, Manny Perez.Based on an initial inquiry and report by a member of the board, the board maintains its confidence in Manny's leadership. We were pleased that a Milwaukee County Court Commissioner reviewed the allegations and dismissed the complaint this week." The Esperanza Unida Board retained former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic to review and investigate allegations made by a committee calling itself "Friends of Esperanza Unida." Biskupic will evaluate the allegations and then report back to the Board about what appropriate action to take in the matter, according to Miranda.
Perez formerly worked for Governor Scott Walker in 2011 and resigned only five months into the job citing he had accomplished what he wanted to do in that short period. Perez was previously an owner of JNA Staffing Inc. and head of the Hispanic Republican group in Wisconsin that supported Walker. He also worked for Manpower Group.

Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall Owner Was Justified For Killing Armed Robber

Andrew "Andy" J. Kochanski and Carmelo L. Matos-Arzola

Photos: Facebook

Deceased alleged robber was unarmed, while two other accomplices had attempted to rob a South side polish bar with BB guns.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 20, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, police identified Carmelo L. Matos-Arzola, 23, originally from Bronx, New York as one of the robbers killed by Andrew "Andy" J. Kochanski, 43, owner of the Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall while protecting his patrons. A second suspect was reported wounded in his left leg and buttocks during an attempted armed robbery with BB guns around 12:07 a.m. on early Friday, August 16, the criminal complaint states.
At about 6:30 a.m., police from Highland Park notified Milwaukee police that a suspect identified as José M. Muñoz, 21, had been admitted to the Highland Park Hospital for two bullet wounds. Highland Park Police arrested Muñoz, but was then transferred to the Evenston Hospital for surgery where he is recovering from his wounds in Illinois after Kochanski shot him. A Milwaukee detective traveled to Evenston and recovered a .45 Cal. bullet that was removed from Muñoz.
The criminal complaint states, Muñoz after being shot by Kochanski was taken to Darlene Lomeli's residence by a friend that knew Lomeli. Lomeli was asked to drive Muñoz to a hospital. Lomeli then drove him, his father and another female to the Highland Park Hospital in Illinois after Muñoz's father suggested it would be better, so Muñoz wouldn't be connected to the crime in Milwaukee. Lomeli told investigators that while driving to Illinois, she heard Muñoz discussing the robbery with his father and the other woman. That Muñoz felt bad that they had to leave Matos-Arzola at the bar wounded and hoped he was still alive.
A third suspect is being sought also in the case.
The criminal complaint says, a semi-automatic BB gun was found inside Kochanski's bar by the door and the second BB gun was found outside on the sidewalk. Five spent shells were recovered as evidence and two bullets, one from an ATM machine and another from the door jam.
The suspects apparently weren't expecting for Kochanski to pull out his .45 Glock semi-automatic handgun after one of the suspects pointed a gun at the owner, which later was determined it was just a BB gun. Two suspects were wearing masks and Matos-Arzola had a hoodie. When they walked into the bar, they told "everybody don't move, this is a robbery." As Kochanski reached for his weapon under the bar, one of the suspects said "don't do it" while pointing the BB gun at Kochanski.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Kochanski was justified when he killed Matos-Arzola and wounded  Muñoz. Kochanski won't face charges, according to the D.A.'s office.
Muñoz was charged with one felony count of armed robbery with use of force and party to a crime as an enhancer on Sunday. If convicted, Muñoz is facing up to 20 years in prison and $50,000 in fines. An arrest warrant was issued last Friday. Muñoz is expected to be extradited from Illinois to face charges in Wisconsin.
On early Friday, Matos-Arzola along with Muñoz and another suspect, armed with black semi-automatic style BB guns walked into Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall at 1920 S. 37th Street and attempted to rob the Polish bar just after midnight. The owner, Kochanski pulled out a real gun and fatally shot Matos-Arzola once in the chest who was trying to rob the bar. Muñoz was wounded twice, but he and another suspect then fled the scene, according to police.
Kochanski claims he was protecting two patrons and himself at the bar. He thought that the suspects had real weapons and not BB guns.
The criminal complaints says, Kochanski chased after the two suspects who ran outside and then returned to the bar to call 911 and attempted CPR on Matos-Arzola, but was unsuccessful.
On Friday, he posted on his bar's Facebook (FB) page, that he had to do what he did and would do it again to protect his customers.
"I would like to state that I did what I had to do to protect my customers and myself. I have no regrets and would do it again if need be. PLEASE do not let this keep you from having a great time here. PLEASE do not let this tarnish this neighborhood. This could and has happened anywhere. You should ALWAYS feel safe here. Andy Kochanski"
His FB page generated support from followers and friends. Kochanski reopened his bar late Friday afternoon.
On December 2008, another attempted robbery at the bar resulted with one patron shot in the buttocks. He survived. Several masked men walked into the bar with a shotgun and a gun during a Christmas party and fired at Kochanski at the bar. Kochanski pulled out his loaded Glock .45 and began to shoot at the suspects. The suspects fired back, but fled the scene, according to the police report.

Monday, August 19, 2013

U.S. Veteran Facing Deportation Summoned For Jury Duty In Colorado

Jesus Manuel Valenzuela-Rodriguez

Valenzuela-Rodriguez has been summoned for jury duty at the El Paso County Courthouse in Colorado Springs.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 19, 2013

Colorado Springs, Colorado - On Wednesday, Jesus Manuel Valenzuela-Rodriguez, 60, is expected to show up for jury duty at El Paso County Courthouse. He voted in the presidential election, but the U.S. government has labeled him a non-citizen, despite serving in the armed forces as a Marine. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last year attempted to oust Valenzuela-Rodriguez and his brother a U.S. Army Veteran, Valente Valenzuela, 63,  from the voter registration in Colorado, but the attempt failed when the State of Colorado disagreed with DHS and considered Valenzuela-Rodriguez a citizen who was allowed to cast his vote in the November presidential election.  The DHS or U.S. Department of Justice never filed federal felony charges for voting in the U.S.
Both the Valenzuela brothers have been facing deportation proceedings, even when they hold a residency status and their appeal has stayed any removal proceedings from moving forward. The Valenzuelas who have become advocates for deported Veterans had faced the threat of deportation themselves for misdemeanor crimes, but were able to stay in the U.S., until their immigration case gets resolved.
The Valenzuela brothers were born in Mexico to a U.S. citizen. Their mother is originally from New Mexico and their father a Mexican national later legalized his status and then became a U.S. citizen. 
Valenzuela-Rodriguez received a jury summons and even got to be juror number 4318, according to the El Paso County summons that was mailed to him.
Valenzuela-Rodriguez posted on the Brothers Valenzuela Facebook page that he will be in court on August 21.

Memorial Headstone To Identify 28 Mexican Nationals In Mass Grave Left Unknown For 65 Years In Fresno Cemetery

After 65 years buried in a mass nameless grave, 28 Mexican nationals will finally have their names engraved on a memorial headstone.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 19, 2013

Fresno, California - On Labor Day weekend, a simple grave site headstone marker at the Holy Cross Cemetery where the remains of 28 Mexican nationals were laid to rest without a single identifying name will be finally replace by a memorial headstone with the deceased names, according to the LA Times. The original simple bronze headstone without the deceased names has been removed and a foundation for the new headstone has been placed. The unveiling of the new 4,000 pounds, 10 foot by 4 foot headstone with names of the victims will be on September 2 at the Holy Cross Cemetery. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno and a writer have been working together to raise funds for the headstone and correct a wrong by now identifying the 28 Mexican nationals. The victims were all buried in a mass grave without names. 
The simple inscribe bronze marker read, "28 MEXICAN CITIZENS WHO DIED IN AN AIRPLANE ACCIDENT NEAR COALINGA, CALIFORNIA ON JAN. 28, 1948 R.I.P."
The 32 victims, including 28 Mexican nationals perished on January 28, 1948 in a chartered Airline Transport Carriers DC-3 plane crash on Diablo Range (Gatos Canyon) about 20 miles of Coalinga. The names of the pilot, Frances "Frank" Atkinson. 30, of Long Beach; his wife, Lillian "Bobbie" Atkinson,  28, a stewardess; co-pilot Marion Harlow Ewing, 32, of Balboa and immigration officer, Frank E. Chaffin of Berkeley were reported on the news, but the 28 other victims were just reported as deportees. Their names were never made public by the U.S. Immigration Service in 1948 and remained unknown at the grave site for the last 65 years.
The 28 Mexican nationals were being transported to the deportation Center at El Centro, CA for removal, some had over stayed their work authorizations and others had crossed illegally into the country, Irvin F. Wixon, the director of U.S. Immigration Service in San Francisco told Associated Press in 1948.
The incident and unknown victims inspired a poem written by Woody Guthrie, which later became song.
Last year, both Tim Z. Hernández, a writer and poet from Colorado and Carlos Rascon, the director of cemeteries for the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Fresno were instrumental in discovering the actual names of the unknown victims. Hernández had been researching to find the identities of the victims. In the dioceses registry, some of the victims names were misspell and difficult to trace. One day, he called Rascon after finding his Spanish surname in the dioceses website. Rascon told Hernández that he had the actual names of the victims.
Hernández explained, that "It was 2010, when I first came across the headlines "100 See Ship Plunge," while researching another book I was working on at the time. I read the article and quickly found myself jotting notes down for another book idea that would surely come later. By early 2011, I was neck-deep in the research around the plane crash. Initially, my creative impulse was to re-write the stories of the 28 "Deportees," to capture their lives, or re-envision them at least, through fiction. On the internet, I found a list claiming to be the names of the passengers on that flight. Some of the names seemed off mark, but still, entirely possible. I approached the Holy Cross Cemetery in early 2011 asking if they could confirm the names I had found with their records, since they are the cemetery where the remains of those passengers are buried. After a few attempts, cemetery Director, Carlos Rascon, was successful in locating records, and this is how the names were finally confirmed. Together we pondered the possibility of erecting a new headstone listing the names of the passengers, rather than leaving the headstone as it is currently: "Buried Here are 28 Mexicans Who Died in a…" "
Later Rascon told Hernández that someone had been putting flowers at the grave site every November during El Día de los Muertos or The Day of the Dead, a Mexican tradition to remember the dead. A relative who lost his grandfather and great-uncle in the 1948 fatal plane crash was later identified as Jaime Ramirez. 
Ramirez entered the U.S. in 1974 at the age of 18 and worked as a dishwasher. He tried to locate where his relatives were buried, but to no avail. Ramirez was promoted as a kitchen manager and was transferred 11 years later to a restaurant in Salinas, where by chance he heard someone talking about Diablo Range, according to the LA Times. Ramirez remembered about his grandfather's death and began to research the archives. He found the grave site with the marker and ever since then has been visiting the grave site in November. 
Over $10,000 dollars was raised in May for a monument to remember the 28 Mexican nationals. The monument will have the names of the 32 victims, including the full names of the 28 Mexican nationals. 
Hernández is writing a book about the incident and announced that "Guests will include the family of Frank & Bobbi Atkinson (the pilot and stewardess), the family and friends of Martin Hoffman  (the musician who composed the melody to the song we all know and love today), June Leigh Austin (daughter of the property owners and first responders), Deana McCloud (Executive of the Woody Guthrie Center), and the Ramirez-Paredes family (descendants of two of the Mexican passengers).

The Memorial Event is scheduled for Monday, September 2, 2013, 10:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, 2105 West Belmont Ave., Fresno, California. Armando X. Ochoa, D.D. Bishop from the Diocese of Fresno will give an outdoor mass honoring the victims of the 1948 plane crash and the unveiling of the memorial headstone that will include all their names.

The memorial engraved headstone names will include the following Mexican nationals that were deceased, but never identified publicly by the U.S. Immigration Service in 1948. 

They are:

● Miguel Negrete Álvarez 
● Tomás Aviña de Gracia 
● Francisco Llamas Durán 
● Santiago García Elizondo 
● Rosalio Padilla Estrada 
● Tomás Padilla Márquez 
● Bernabé López Garcia 
● Salvador Sandoval Hernández 
● Severo Medina Lára 
● Elías Trujillo Macias 
● José Rodriguez Macias 
● Luis López Medina 
● Manuel Calderón Merino 
● Luis Cuevas Miranda 
● Martin Razo Navarro 
● Ignacio Pérez Navarro 
● Román Ochoa Ochoa 
● Ramón Paredes Gonzalez 
● Guadalupe Ramírez Lára 
● Apolonio Ramírez Placencia 
● Alberto Carlos Raygoza 
● Guadalupe Hernández Rodríguez 
● Maria Santana Rodríguez 
● Juan Valenzuela Ruiz 
● Wenceslao Flores Ruiz 
● José Valdívia Sánchez 
● Jesús Meza Santos  
● Baldomero Marcas Torres

May they continue to Rest In Peace.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Chicago Police Arrested 10 Protesters And La Casita Community Center Razed

Photos: Courtesy of Christine Geovanis and Katie Osgood

The field house was demolished after almost three years of being used as a library, operated after school programs and special events for the Whittier Elementary School parents, children and the Pilsen community.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 18, 2013

Chicago, Illinois - After an over night vigil by Pilsen community members, children and supporters to save a field house community center from being demolish, attempts to block demolition on Saturday failed. At least ten people were arrested by Chicago police and once the front of the building was cleared of protesters, a demolition crew razed the field house known as "La Casita" around 5:20 p.m. as people and children in tears watched. 
One man held a sign "La Casita, Our House, Our Kids, Our Hearts."
The Hispanic parents learned of the demolition on Friday night, while they were attending a Mexican cultural event at the center.
WGNTV reported that the building was considered unsafe for occupancy because it was deteriorating. Two previous Chicago Public School District officials Ron Huberman and Jean Claude Brizard had vowed to bring the field house to code. But parents say, the school district never did, because they had plans to demolish it and replace it with a soccer field, plaground and basket court for a neighboring private school.
The Pilsen parents are also blaming Alderman Daniel Solis for letting them down and never sticking to the truth about what plans were  actually being planned for the property. Solis send out a press release indicating the field house was deteriorating, unsafe and needed to be razed. The parents disagreed.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Hundreds Of Autos And People Pass By, But Only One Stops To Render Assistance

Ignacio (last name unknown)

Photos: HNG/HNNUSA

A 58-year-old man lays on a sidewalk in a Milwaukee South side busy intersection as hundreds of autos and people pass by without rendering aid.

August 17, 2013

Milwaukee,  WI (HNNUSA) - On Saturday,  Ignacio (last name unknown), 58, laid motionless at the Southeast corner sidewalk on S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. and W. National Ave. while hundreds of drivers and people pass by without stopping to offer aid or to checkout,  if the man was alive. Some of those people just drove around and were video recording the motionless man as they went by.
A man riding a Diamond Back 21-speed bicycle was the only person or good Samaritan to stop around 3:20 p.m. and called police, who then got in touch with the fire department rescue unit to answer the call.
The man happened to wake up and respond to firefighters requests and got checked. Apparently, Ignacio is well known to some of them, who called him by name. 
The man had a squashed empty beer can next to him, but today he gets to survive another day. Ignacio was transported to a hospital for treatment, even though he had refused. It was either a hospital or be taken by police, according to a rescue responder. A firefighter decided to transport Ignacio to a hospital and called for an ambulance.
In 2010, S. Chavez Drive was upgraded by reconstruction ($1.6M facelift). Before the construction, at least 20,000 vehicles drove through Chavez Dr. a day and more than 147,000 per week. W. National Ave. is another busy avenue and thousands of vehicles go through the intersection with Chavez Drive.
Out of all those thousands of drivers and people that just passed by and ignored a motionless man regardless of his unfortunate luck and life style, only one turned out to be a caring Milwaukean or Good Samaritan. Kudos for him.

Two Issues Barely Addressed By Immigration Reform Activists, Clergy And Non-profit Orgs.

Private and public medical removals of ill patients and U.S. deportation of Veterans.


Two issues barely addressed by immigration reform activists, clergy, non-profit organizations, U.S. Congress and the Obama administration are the deportation of 800 ill patients by hospitals and U.S. Veterans.


U.S. hospitals illegally deporting seriously uninsured ill patients to foreign medical facilities  http://bit.ly/17M2iDL


Clip on two U.S. Veterans facing deportation:  http://alturl.com/3naok


U.S. Deported Veterans Can Only Become Americans Upon Death  http://bit.ly/QndvUo


Deported veterans: Banished for committing crimes after serving in the U.S. military http://bit.ly/14Vj9pV  and  WPvideo 


 ¡Justicia para nuestra gente!
Justice for our people!


Posted courtesy of HNNUSA as a public service and educational purposes. 

Friday, August 16, 2013

Ávila Beltran, "Pacific Drug Cartel Queen" Expected To Be Deport By Next Week

Sandra Ávila Beltrán

Ávila Beltrán is expected to be deported to Mexico by Tuesday or Thursday from El Paso. ICE also announced that 361 suspects were arrested nationwide targeting associates and members of the Mara Salvatrucha in 71 U.S. cities.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 16, 2013

El Paso, Texas - On Wednesday, Sandra Ávila Beltrán, 52, aka, "Pacific Drug Cartel Queen" was transferred from a South Louisiana Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center to an El Paso ICE removal center for deportation. She is expected to be deported by next Tuesday or Thursday. Ávila Beltrán will be flown from Texas to Mexico City along with more than 130 other undocumented immigrants ordered to be removed from the U.S. under a program that discontinued turning them over to Mexican immigration authorities across the border from El Paso.
In July, a U.S. District Court of Southern Florida judge decided that Ávila Beltrán had served her time and ordered her release. Ávila Beltrán has been in the custody of ICE, since July 30.
She was extradited to the U.S. in August from Mexico. She pled guilty to a plea agreement with federal prosecutors for harbouring her former boyfriend, Juan Diego Espinoza Ramirez,  aka, "El Tigre" a Colombian convicted drug dealer associated with the Sinaloa Cartel. 
The Milenio Newspaper reported that Ávila Beltrán's Mexican attorney Jorge Alfonso Espino Santillan had said, Mexican federal authorities are expected to arrest his client for using drug money to operate an alleged criminal organization once she returns to Mexico. Mexican federal prosecutors have filed charges in a federal court in the state of Jalisco, according Santillan.
Ávila Beltrán was previously indicted in the U.S. for alleged charges of organized crime and importing large quantities of cocaine to the U.S. for distribution. She was wanted in the U.S. for importing at least 9.6 tons of cocaine in 2001.
She was arrested in Mexico City in 2007 for organized crime and drug trafficking, but was acquitted in 2010 by a Mexican federal judge.
In 2001, she paid several million dollars in ransom for her son's release after he was kidnapped in Mexico drawing attention to the ransom playoff by Mexican federal authorities. 
Ávila Beltrán also paid to have a cosmetic doctor perform botox treatments while she was incarcerated.
Ávila Betrán was considered ruthless for her tactics used against rival drug cartel members. She is the niece of Miguel Angel Félix Gallardo, who is now serving a 40 year sentence in the U.S. for the homicide of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985.
In January 2010, her great uncle Juan José Quintero Payán, 69, was extradited to the U.S. for drug trafficing, using drug money to invest in U.S. real estate and laundering money, according to a federal indictment. 
In December 2011, Payán who was the founder of the Juarez Cartel was sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined $250,000 by a federal judge in San Antonio, Texas.
 In an unrelated ICE case, 361 suspects were arrested between July and August during a nationwide gang operation targeting members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), including 263 gang members and associates from 43 different gangs in 71 U.S. cities and 98 others encountered during the operation: 84 non-gang members wanted on criminal charges and 14 for immigration violations.

Family Dollar Offers $10k Reward 11 Days After Employee Killed By Robber

Bill Melendez

Family Dollar offered $10K for information leading to the arrest of a  lone suspect that killed an employee at a Milwaukee south side store.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 16, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Friday, Paul Murray, Regional Vice President for Family Dollar announced that a $10,000 dollar reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a lone suspect that fatally shot an employee after taking a mere $100. A suspect on August 6 walked into the Family Dollar store at the 4300 block of W. Oklahoma Ave. and robbed it, but after taking $100, the suspect fatally shot Bill Melendez,  44, in the head.
The suspect then fled the scene. Police were called at 3:33 p.m. to the crime scene, according to investigators.
The robbery was caught by video surveillance cameras. Police decribed the suspect as, a "Black male, mid 20′s, 5ft 10 to 6ft, medium build wearing dark sunglasses, black baseball cap with an emblem on the front, and a white t-shirt worn underneath a dark grey zip-up hoodie, matching sweatpants and black shoes."

Southside Kochanski's Concertina Bar Owner Kills Suspected Armed Robber

Andy Kochanski

Photo: Facebook

Three robbers, two of them armed walked into the Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall to hold it up, one suspect ends up dead and two escaped from the crime scene.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 16, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, three suspects, two armed walked into Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall at 1920 S. 37th Street and attempted to rob the Polish bar around midnight. When the owner, Andy Kochanski pulled out a gun and fatally shot a 23-year-old suspect who was trying to rob the bar. The other two suspects then fled the scene without exchanging fire, according to Milwaukee Police spokesperson Lt. Mark Stanmeyer.
Kochanski claims he was protecting two patrons and himself at the bar. On Friday, he posted on his bar's Facebook (FB) page, that he had to do what he did and would do it again to protect his customers.
"I would like to state that I did what I had to do to protect my customers and myself. I have no regrets and would do it again if need be. PLEASE do not let this keep you from having a great time here. PLEASE do not let this tarnish this neighborhood. This could and has happened anywhere. You should ALWAYS feel safe here. Andy Kochanski"
His FB page generated support from followers and friends.
Kochanski confirmed that he will be open on Friday.
State Rep. Joshua Zepnick (D-9th Dist.) on Friday posted on his FB, "Andy is a friend and I've had fundraising events at Kochanski's which is in my District, at least one of these losers will no longer be threatening innocent customers of a neighborhood business. Milwaukee, do not let these things slow you down or stop spending in our city, together we can stop the violence and eliminate fear."
On December 2008, another attempted robbery at the bar resulted with one patron shot in the buttocks. He survived. 
Several masked men walked into the bar with a shotgun and a gun during a Christmas party and fired at Kochanski at the bar. Kochanski pulled out his loaded Glock .45 and began to shoot at the suspects. The suspects fired back, but fled the scene, according to the police report.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Correa Files Alleged Harassment Claim Against Perez From Esperanza Unida

Irene Agape Correa and Manuel "Manny" Perez

Perez denies sexual harassment claims by Correa, the head of a mental health clinic at Esperanza Unida.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 15, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (JS) reporter Georgia Pabst wrote that a temporary restraining order was filed and granted against, Manuel "Manny" Perez, the current general manager for Esperanza Unida. Irene Agape Correa, 35, President of  United Hands Across the City, a mental health clinic run at the Esperanza Unida, 611 W. National Ave. claims that Perez on several occasions grabbed her arm and once tried to grope her while caressing her, but when another person walked in on them and Perez stopped, according to the JS article.
Perez denied Correa's claims and believes he will be exonerated in court. Correa is running the clinic rent free, according to Perez. Correa also claims, Perez threatened to get rid of her from Esperanza Unida.
An injunction hearing for Perez and Correa is scheduled for August 20, according to court records.
Perez formerly worked for Governor Scott Walker in 2011 and resigned only five months into the job citing he had accomplished what he wanted to do in that short period. Perez was previously an owner of JNA Staffing Inc. and head of the Hispanic Republican group in Wisconsin that supported Walker. He also worked for Manpower Group.
When contacted on Wednesday, Robert Miranda, the executive director of Esperanza Unida who appointed Perez in March as general manager confirmed, that the Esperanza Unida Board will release a statement soon and that former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic has been retain by the Board. Miranda would not comment further on Correa's alleged sexual harassment claims.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

27-year-old Man Fatally Shot On S. Chavez Drive In Milwaukee's Southside Identified

Carrington was talking to his girlfriend when shot at this public payphone.

Photo: HNG/HNNUSA

Mark Carrington

Photo: Courtesy of WISN

Carrington was talking to his girlfriend on public payphone on S. Chavez Drive when he was fatally shot.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 14, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, WISN News dot com identified Mark Carrington, 27, who was fatally shot multiple times while using a public payphone at the 900 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive on early Wednesday. Carrington was talking to his girlfriend around 1:30 a.m. when he was shot. His girlfriend, Bianca Prescott told WISN that she her the shots and knew he was dead.
Police were patrolling at the 1600 block of W. National Ave. when they heard multiple shots on Chavez Drive. When they went to investigate, they found Carrington's body on the sidewalk, according to police.
Carrington was scheduled to be sentenced in October for a felony drug related charge, according to WISN. 
Police are looking at outdoor surveillance camera video recordings from businesses where Carrington was shot and along the block for evidence. Police have several leads to a suspect or suspects.

Local Milwaukee Singer And Composer Allegedly Suffered Fatal Overdose

Jose Lopez, aka, "Kenepa, El Ultimatus"

Photo: Facebook

Promising local Milwaukee singer and composer died of an apparent overdose, but police continue to investigate his death.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 14, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - Police are investigating the death of Jose Lopez, 25, aka, "Kenepa, El Ultimatus" who died on Tuesday. Lopez is originally from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. Lopez is also a popular local singer and composer who was a recording artist for Traficando Music Entertainment. He hoped to become a security guard and eventually to become a police officer, according to a Facebook (FB) posting by Luis Figueroa, who knew him and recently talked to him about becoming an "armed security guard."
A vigil by friends and family members was held yesterday outside his residence at the 1700 block of S. 18th St. News of his untimely death spread through quickly on Facebook. Lopez is survived by his girlfriend and two children. 
A FB posting on Tuesday by Jose Raul Millan responding to Figueroa's asking about Lopez's death stated, "Yes its true pa, our brother is gone to a better place now, this happend three hours ago, an ovedose on perks, liquor and redbull on 18th and burnham." The comment was posted at 2:48 p.m. on Tuesday by Millan.
Police or the Milwaukee medical examiner's office have not released any information about Lopez's cause of death.
A fundraiser for Lopez or Kenepa will be held on Friday beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Club International at the 1600 block of W. National Ave. in Milwaukee (No cover, but will accept a donation, according to a flyer circulating on FB).

Funeral services for Lopez, aka, Kenepa will be held on Friday at the Witkowiak Funeral Home at the 500 block of W. Historic Mitchell Street in Milwaukee, WI from 9:00 a.m. to noon. After noon services, interment will be at the Forest Home Cemetery. 

Lopez recording (2012) at link: Kenepa

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Seton University Study Shows An Increase Of Illegal Medical Repatriations By U.S. Hospitals

Quelino Jiménez Ojeda

A Seton Hall Law School study on forced or coerce medical repatriation criticized the U.S. government for its lack to enforce its exclusive authority to deport individuals or sanction hospitals whether private or public that engage in illegal deportations of ill patients to cut exceeding medical costs.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 13, 2013

Washington, D.C. - The immigration reform debate, civil disobedience protests and a national push by both immigrants and supporters for reform continues in Washington, D.C. in the hope that U.S. House of Representatives, which is controlled by the Republicans can approve a bill that would allow a path to citizenship for more than 11 million of undocumented immigrants this year. One growing issue that has been in the shadows, left out from immigration reform and reported by few is the illegal medical repatriation by hospitals in the country. It's a widely exercised practice with no consequences or sanctions to hospitals that spend thousands of dollars to private removal services to deport ill patients to other countries for the purpose to cut medical treatment costs from uninsured immigrants. 
The medical repatriation practice by hospitals has been documented in 15 states and ill patients have been illegally deported to the following countries, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Lithuania, Mexico, Philippines, Poland and South Korea.
A joint study by the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law School and Health Justice Program at New York Lawyers for Public Interest released on December 2012 revealed an increase of illegal medical repatriation (deportation) of uninsured ill patients to foreign medical facilities. The medical repatriation study criticized the U.S. government for its lack to enforce its exclusive authority to deport individuals or sanction hospitals whether private or public that engage in illegal deportations of ill patients to cut exceeding medical costs. The study also found that undocumented injured immigrants, permanent residents and a U.S. born child were victims of medical repatriation because they were uninsured.
The study cites the case of Quelino Jiménez Ojeda who was injured while doing a roofing job in Chicago and ended up at a local hospital on August 20, 2010. Once Ojeda was considered stabilized, the hospital executive board decided to deport Ojeda to Mexico. A hospital spokesperson first admitted that it was done by Ojeda's family consent, but later recanted when Ojeda and his mother confirmed, that the hospital had lied and deported him without approval. The hospital also got approval from the Mexican government to allow Ojeda back in the country by falsifying documents, the Ojeda family claimed. 
In Feb. 2011, Kelly Jo Golson, senior vice president and spokesperson for Advocate Christ Medical Center (ACMC) in Oak Lawn admitted to deporting quadriplegic patient Quelino Jiménez Ojeda, 23, to Mexico. Ojeda was taken out of the medical center on December 21, 2010 after the executive ACMC board decided to forcibly remove Ojeda from hospital care after five months of treatment for a spinal cord injury escalating to $650,000 in medical costs. Ojeda was taken out of the hospital by AeroCare personnel hired by ACMC and put Ojeda on a plane to Mexico, so ACMC could finally stop paying for his medical treatment. The AeroCare transfer of Ojeda to Mexico cost $60,000, according to Golson.
Community activists in Chicago also alleged both the AeroCare and Advocate might have falsified information to acquire Mexican government documents to deport Ojeda to Oaxaca, Mexico without his consent or family's authorization.
In the early hours of January 1, 2012, Ojeda died at the age of 24, of an apparent heart attack while a patient at the Doctor Macedonio Benitez Fuentes General Hospital in Juchitan de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mexico. 
Ojeda's case is one of multiple cases mentioned in the Seton study. At least 800 cases showed attempted or involuntary deportation of ill patients in the last six years before the report was released. The patients were forced or coerced in the widely practice of medical repatriation by hospitals.
A recent medical repatriation was authorized by the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey when it decided to deport Wladyslaw Haniszewski, 69, an undocumented Polish immigrant in June who had lived in the U.S. for 30 years. Haniszewski ended up in a shelter after losing his job and apartment in Perth Amboy. He suffered a crippling heart attack that rendered him unconscious and ended up at the New Jersey hospital. While he was unconscious due to the stroke, the hospital deported him without letting anyone know or his friends who later identified him after he was deported. He later woke up in Poland.
Haniszewski suffers from a blood disease and was uninsured.
Haniszewski was transported to a Poland hospital in Boleslawiec without his consent and left there, according the NYdailynews.
Numerous other cases of medical repatriation are suspected of have taken place in the U.S., but have gone unreported due to a lack of government regulation and a mandatory requirement to report such cases.
The study recommended that the "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services track medical repatriation, impose sanctions on hospitals that perform involuntary medical repatriation and develop regulations that impose greater accountability for hospitals discharging patients to facilities abroad...(to push) for Congress to convene hearings and to comply with international human rights obligations."

Seton University study:


Discharge, Deportation, and Dangerous Journeys: A Study on the Practice of Medical Repatriation / Full Report (PDF) at   http://is.gd/AWQkjE


Discharge, Deportation, and Dangerous Journeys: A Study on the Practice of Medical Repatriation / Executive Summary (PDF) at   http://is.gd/DzchlX


Alta Médica, Deportación, y Viajes Peligrosos: Un Informe sobre la Práctica de Repatriación Medica / Resumen Ejecutivo (PDF)   http://is.gd/bkxImn



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Bulger, Known Winter Hill Gang Boston Mobster Found Guilty For 19 Homicides

Whitey Bulger

Federal jury found Bulger guilty of conspiracy, racketeering and connection to 19 murders.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 13, 2013

Boston - On Monday, Whitey Bulger, 83, a known Winter Hill gang mobster was convicted of 19 homicides, racketeering (RICO), conspiracy to commit extortion, money laundering and drug distribution. Bulger is facing life in prison.
He was arrested in 2011 along with his long time girlfriend, Catherine Elizabeth Greig, 62. He was wanted since 1999 and a $2 million dollar reward was offered for information leading to Bulger's arrest. A $100,000 dollar reward was also offered for any information leading to Greig's arrest.
A tip led to their arrest in Santa Monica, California. Bulger also agreed to forfeit $822,000 that was found in his hideout, according to court records. 
Bulger's case inspired the 2006 movie making of the "Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Driver In N. Farwell Fatal Hit-and-Run Arrested After Vehicle Recovered

Andrea Barringer

Barringer was struck as she attempted to beat traffic while running across a crosswalk by a speeding hit-and-run driver, who briefly stopped and then kept going, according to witnesses.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 12, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - Police confirmed that a tip led to the arrest of a 48-year-old man in connection with last Sunday's fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of Andrea Barringer, 32, at the 1900 block of N. Farwell Ave. Barringer had just left the Comet Cafe with some friends and was attempting to beat traffic while running across a crosswalk when a speeding vehicle struck her. She was thrown about 120 feet and later died, according to police.
Barringer had just gotten engaged three days earlier, according to friends.

Popular Milwaukee Bachata Singer Colón Suffered A Leg Injuring Requiring Operation To Heal

Miguel A. Colón

Photos: Facebook

Colón was injured on Saturday while playing baseball with the local Yankees from the Liga Christiana.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 12, 2013
(Updated)

Milwaukee, WI - On Saturday, Miguel A. Colón, a popular Bachata co-lead singer and owner of the local Bachata 4K-Torce group posted on Facebook that he was seriously injured during a baseball game with the Liga Christiana. Colón plays with the local baseball Yankees team who actually won first place. He posted, that his leg injury would have hurt more, if his team would have lost.
Colón says, that he can't remember much about what happened,  but a doctor told him that he ruptured (tore) his tendon that connects his foot ankle to his knee and would need an operation to heal. Colón posted, "How CRAZY is this, I've been told by three doctors, in order to heal my leg I "definitely" need the operation, but no one wants to do it, since I have no insurance. SMH!!!"
Colón later posted that he found a doctor at St. Luke's Hospital that will do the surgery. He is scheduled for surgery on Thursday, according to Colón.

Milwaukee Police Sgt. Lopez Charged With Felony Stalking His Ex-girlfriend

Alex Lopez

A Milwaukee Police sergeant charged for stalking and sending hundreds of text messages, including threatening rape of ex-girlfriend. 

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 12, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, Milwaukee Police Sergeant Alex Lopez, 38, was charged with one felony count for stalking his former girlfriend. Lopez was suspended from the department pending the outcome of the case. He posted a $2,500 signatured bond and was freed from custody, but was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition for his release, according to court records. If convicted, Lopez is facing up to three and a half years in prison.
His former girlfriend complained to Milwaukee police that Sgt. Lopez was stalking her after she ended a five month relationship in May with him. The woman began to date Sgt. Lopez in January 2013, but by May she ended the relationship after he became sexually violent with her.
Lopez apparently send more than 500 of text messages between June 18 to August 5 to her that were threatening, including some indicating he wanted to rape her and another wishing she was dead, according to the criminal complaint.
Lopez is expected back at a Milwaukee County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing on August 27. 

Michigan Doctor Fata Allegedly Defrauded Medicare Of $35M With False Claims

Farid Fata

Dr. Fata administered unnecessary chemotherapy to patients in remission and made staff members to submit false claims to Medicare to collect up to $35 million in payments within a two year period.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 11, 2013

Detroit, Michigan - On Tuesday, Dr. Farid Fata, 48, of Oakland Township is expected to return to the U.S. Court of the Eastern District of Michigan to face federal charges stemming from filing false claims to collect up to $35 million from Medicare.  Fata was taken in custody early last week after he was indicted for giving "unnecessary chemotherapy to patients in remission" and then filed false claims with Medicare to collect millions. 
He allegedly gave unnecessary medical treatments to patients for cancer and hematalogy who didn't need it, according to the criminal complaint.  If convicted, Fata is facing up to 20 years in a federal prison.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of Eastern Michigan reported that Fata owns and operates the Michigan Hematology Oncology (MHO) Centers, which has offices in Clarkston, Bloomfield Hills, Lapeer, Sterling Heights, Troy and Oak Park.  It was through MHO that Dr. Fata allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary services, including chemotherapy treatments, Positron Emission Tomograph (PET) scans and a variety of cancer and hematology treatments for patients who did not need them.  In the course of the scheme, Dr. Fata falsified and directed others to falsify documents.  MHO billed Medicare for approximately $35 million dollars over a two-year period, approximately $25 million of which is attributable to Dr. Fata, according to the complaint. 
The complaint further alleges that Dr. Fata directed the administration of unnecessary chemotherapy to patients in remission; deliberate misdiagnosis of patients as having cancer to justify unnecessary cancer treatment; administration of chemotherapy to end-of-life patients who will not benefit from the treatment; deliberate misdiagnosis of patients without cancer to justify expensive testing; fabrication of other diagnoses such as anemia and fatigue to justify unnecessary hematology treatments, and distribution of controlled substances to patients without medical necessity or are administered at dangerous levels.
Dr. Fata also directed that chemotherapy be administered to patients who had other serious medical conditions that required immediate treatment before he would permit them to go to the hospital.  In one instance, a male patient fell down and hit his head when he came to MHO.  Dr. Fata insisted that the patient receive his chemotherapy before he could be taken to the emergency room.  MHO administered the chemotherapy, after which the patient was taken to the emergency room.  The patient later died from his head injury.  In the second instance, a patient came to MHO with extremely low sodium levels, which can be fatal.  Dr. Fata again directed that the patient first receive chemotherapy before being taken to the emergency room.  MHO administered the chemotherapy and the patient was taken to the emergency room and hospitalized.
The MHO website says that, Dr. Fata received a Bachelor of Science from Lebanese University in 1992.  He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Maimonides Medical Center, State University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, in 1996.  Dr. Fata attended Cornell University Medical College, NY and completed his Hematology Oncology Fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1999.