Deceased 16-year-old Giovanni Florentino Identified In Stolen SUV Fatal Crash In Milwaukee's Southside, 13-year-old Brother Sustained Critical Injuries

16-year-old Florentino was ejected on impact after a stolen SUV he was a passenger in crashed into a tree, his 13-year-old brother who was also a rear seat passenger in the SUV suffered critical injuries. The driver of the reported stolen SUV and a front seat passenger that the Florentino brothers accompanied fled the scene leaving Florentino to die on the street without calling 911 or rendering aid.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

November 16, 2021

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Police reported that on Friday, November 12, 2021, around 8:16p.m., a stolen SUV with four individuals inside including a driver who was driving recklessly at 90 mph in a 30 mph speed limit heading eastbound at the 3600 block of W. Lincoln Ave. lost control and crashed into a tree. The SUV split in half on impact with the tree and both Giovanni Florentino, 16, aka, Chucho, and his brother, Sebastián Florentino, 13, who were rear seat passengers were ejected in the impact. Giovanni suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Sebastián suffered critical injuries and was hospitalized.

Police say that the SUV was reported stolen a day before the fatal crash and the driver of the stolen SUV and a front seat passenger fled the crash scene leaving the Florentino brothers at the scene without rendering any aid.

Police are looking for both suspects that fled the scene.

Update: On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, the mother of Giovanni Florentino released Facebook photos of the two alleged young suspects (juveniles) that fled the scene of the crash on Friday, November 12, 2021, that left her 16-year-old son deceased and his 13-year-old brother critically injured in the hospital. 

The family is seeking justice for the Florentino brothers and want both DeWayne Widmer Jr., 15, and his cousin Aiden to turn themselves in to Milwaukee police.

12 Year Murder Case Dismissed Against Vidal Rodriguez-Alvarez Because Primary Witness Deported By ICE

Rodriguez-Alvarez was arrested in Mexico by Mexican federal authorities who extradited him to Wisconsin in late May for the murder of a 15-year-old girl in 2008.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 14, 2021

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, November 8, 2021, Vidal Rodriguez-Alvarez, 32, homicide case was dismissed without prejudice by  Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn H. Yamahiro. According to court records, the primary witness that could identify Rodriguez-Alvarez in the murder case had been deported 10 years ago by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office (D.A.'s) who failed to protect the primary witness from being deported by ICE learned of his deportation several months ago and can't locate him, since they don't know the country that he was deported too. The D.A.'s office could charge Rodriguez-Alvarez again, if they locate the deported witness or find another witness to identify the suspect in Razo's murder.

Rodriguez-Alvarez faced a one felony count for 1st-degree reckless homicide for the 2008 murder of Liliana Razo, 15, in the Southside of Milwaukee. Rodriguez-Alvarez had fled to Mexico in 2008 shortly after allegedly throwing a screwdriver inside a vehicle where Razo was seating in the passenger's side resulting in her death. 

Rodriguez-Alvarez had been a fugitive for more than 12 years. Rodriguez-Alvarez was facing up to 60 years in prison for the reckless homicide. 

Rodriguez-Alvarez had violated probation for a felony theft of up to $10,000 and party to a crime conviction in 2007 when he fled to Mexico and is now being held by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (Milwaukee Secure Facility) for the probation violation. Rodriguez-Alvarez was sentenced in December of 2007 to four years in prison including 2 years of supervision at the time with 6 months months served, but the incarceration sentenced was stayed and was placed on probation.

Rodriguez-Alvarez has 2 years and 9 months to complete his sentence for the 2007 theft conviction. 

According to the criminal complaint, Razo and two males, which the driver of the vehicle was a C-14 gang member confronted Rodriguez-Alvarez, a member of the Mexican Posse gang and another individual at South Division High School on September 5, 2008 about gang related conflicts and allegations of killing gang members. Words were exchanged between them and school security intervene and both groups left the school property.

A while later, Rodriguez-Alvarez who was accompanied by the state witness who was deported spotted Razo and the driver of the vehicle near the 1300 block of S. 13th Street, he walked up to the vehicle where Razo was at and threw a screwdriver inside the vehicle striking Razo in the left temple. Razo died a day later after the screwdriver was removed during surgery by a doctor.

The state witness who accompanied Rodriguez-Alvarez was the primary witness that could identify the suspect in Razo's murder.

Milwaukee Latino And Black Voters Including State Legislators Of Color Unite To Oppose Multiple Proposed State Redistricting Maps That Dilute Minority Majority Districts In Wisconsin

Both members of the Latino and Black communities held a press conference at the César E. Chávez Placita in the Southside of Milwaukee to oppose multiple State proposed redistricting maps including Wisconsin Governor Evers's PMC maps and the GOP maps AB624 that was approved by the Republican controlled State Assembly on Thursday.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 12, 2021

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, members of the Latino and Black communities including the Brown Berets, the Black Panthers and Wisconsin State Representatives Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw) and Lakesha Myers (D-Milw), State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milw) and and Peter Peckarsky (D), a candidate for the U.S. Senate held a press conference at the César E. Chávez Placita on S. César E. Chávez Drive to oppose multiple proposed State redistricting maps that includes Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers's People's Maps Commission (PMC) redistricting maps and the recently approved GOP gerrymandering redistricting maps AB624/SB621.

All the redistricting maps dilute both the Latino and Black majority minority districts in Milwaukee creating opportunity minority districts, which are not protected by the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965. The maps also violated the VRA mandates and used the wrong population data process instead of using the Citizenship voting age population data.

The proposed redistricting maps violate the VRA and dilutes Hispanic and Black VAP in State Senate Districts (SD) 3, 4 and 6, which includes Assembly Districts 7, 8 and 9 in SD 3, 10, 11 and 12 in SD4 and 16, 17 and 18 in SD6.

On Thursday, Governor Evers went to the Democratic Caucus gathering before the State Assembly Session convened in an attempt to get all the Democrats to support the PMC maps that he continues to promote that creates 44 White Democrat Districts at the expense of diluting and phasing out both the Latino and Black majority minority districts, which were instrumental in electing him. 

In Wisconsin politics history, it is unprecedented to have a Democrat governor supporting redistricting maps that dilutes majority minority districts that were instrumental in electing the governor. Governor Evers has yet to publicly redraw the PMC maps, apologize to both the Hispanic and Black communities for the mishap or even condemn the maps for diluting his Latino and Black voting block base that actually got him elected in the first place.

Also making history on Thursday, 17 Democrats including State Representatives Ortiz-Velez, Cabrera and Myers voted with all the Republicans to reject Governor Evers PMC's maps. Only 21 Democrats voted in favor of the PMC maps.

Governor Evers is expected to veto the GOP redistricting maps and most likely the legal battle to determine, which redistricting map will actually be adopted, would have to be decided in a State court or a federal court.

Sen. Taylor says that the Latino and Black communities will acquire attorneys to represent them in a court battle.

Milwaukee Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa Has Concerns About Governor Tony Evers PMC's Redistricting Maps That Dilutes Hispanic Majority, But Comes Short From Condemning Act

Former State Assembly Representative Zamarripa who is now an Alderwoman in the Aldermanic 12 District in Milwaukee weighs in at the last minute on the proposed state redistricting maps.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 11, 2021

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, City of Milwaukee Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa from the 12th Aldermanic District and former State Representative from the 8th Assembly District released a press release targeted at State Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw) and accused Ortiz-Velez of disinformation. Ald. Zamarripa wrote, "Disinformation about the Voting Rights Act has no place in the debate about legislative redistricting, from a Republican or Democrat...When Representative Ortiz-Velez spoke about the attempts by the non-partisan People's Maps Commission convened by Governor Evers to draw fair legislative maps, she carried water for Speaker Vos and his attempts to gerrymander an anti-Latino majority...Like many in the arena of public affairs, I have concerns with the product of the People's Maps Commission, but Latinos, immigrants, South Siders, and Democrats all would benefit from a straightforward, honest and public-interested discussion about district lines." 

Zamarripa came short in explaining her allegation of any specific disinformation in a debate about redistricting nor has she held a public debate to discuss the redistricting process in the state. Also, Zamarripa hasn't publicly condemned any proposed redistricting map that violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) mandates including the Governor Evers People's Maps Commission and the GOP redistricting maps that dilutes the Hispanic voting age population (HVAP) and the Black VAP as well.

Zamarripa as a State Representative was unsuccessful in passing any legislation due to her record for voting by Party lines, since the GOP control the State legislature, especially AB873 that she proposed and couldn't get bipartisan support to pass a César E. Chávez state optional holiday in 2014.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) couldn't reach State Representative Ortiz-Velez for comment.

On Wednesday, State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milw) during a press conference phrased State Representative Ortiz-Velez for supporting the Black and Hispanic community by speaking out against all the proposed redistricting maps that violate the VRA and dilutes Hispanic and Black VAP in State Senate Districts (SD) 3, 4 and 6, which includes Assembly Districts 7, 8 and 9 in SD 3, 10, 11 and 12 in SD4 and 16, 17 and 18 in SD6.

During Thursday's State Assembly session, State Representative Marisabel Cabrera alleged that the GOP and the PMC's redistricting maps are not fair maps, which violated Wisconsin Open Meeting Laws, also violate the VRA and failed to use the correct processing data, which was the Citizenship voting age population and all the proposed redistricting maps used the wrong data. 

State Representative Cabrera (D-Milw) from the State Assembly District 9th and State Representative Ortiz-Velez from the State Assembly District 8th voted against the PMC map and also voted no for the GOP maps because they are unconstitutional, unfair maps, diluted both the Hispanic and Black VAP and violate the VRA.

Editor's note:

State Representative Ortiz-Velez gave a captivating, persuasive and powerful speech about the illegal process to dilute both the Hispanic and Black VAP including the multiple VRA violations committed, to the State Assembly and received a standing ovation from both sides of the aisles and 17 State Assembly Democrats voted no to reject Governor Evers PMC's redistricting maps while 21 Assembly Democrats voted in favor of the Governor's PMC maps that dilutes both Hispanic and Black VAP, which eliminates two Hispanic majority Assembly Districts in the Southside of Milwaukee and most of the six Black majority Assembly Districts in the Northside of Milwaukee including Senate Districts 3, 4 and 6. 

All 38 Assembly Democrats voted no to reject the GOP redistricting maps. The Republican controlled State Assembly voted 60-38 to pass AB624, their own version of the redistricting maps that Governor Tony Evers (D) has vowed to veto. 

The following State Representatives and a lone State Senator (all Democrats) that stood in the right side of history with minority majority communities and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

The State legislators (1 State Senator and 17 State Assembly Representatives) voted against Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) favored People's Maps Commission (PMC) redistricting maps that diluted Latino and Black voting age populations in minority majority districts and who voted against the Republican controlled State legislature's gerrymandering redistricting maps AB 624/SB621. Also, all Democrats in the State Senate and State Assembly voted against the GOP gerrymandering maps. 

The following State legislators voted against the PMC's redistricting maps. 

 • Senator Lena Taylor 

 • Rep. Jimmy Anderson 

 • Rep. Jill Billings 

 • Rep. David Bowen 

 • Rep. Jonathan Brostoff 

 • Rep. Marisabel Cabrera 

 • Rep. Sue Conley 

 • Rep. Dora Drake 

 • Rep. Evan Goyke 

 • Rep. Kalan Haywood 

 • Rep. Diane Hesselbein 

 • Rep. Gordon Hintz 

 • Rep. Francesca Hong 

 • Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde 

 • Rep. LaKeshia Myers 

 • Rep. Greta Neubauer 

 • Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez 

 • Rep. Mark Spreitzer 

Update:

State Representative Ortiz-Velez responds to Alderwoman Zamarripa's press release.

GOP Controlled State Assembly In Wisconsin Passed Their Gerrymandering Redistricting Map AB624 By 60-38 In Wisconsin That Violates The Voting Rights Act

The Republican controlled State Assembly voted 60-38 along Party lines to pass their own version of a redistricting map known as gerrymandering, which voting district lines are drawn to favor electing Republican candidates for the next decade.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 11, 2021

Madison, Wisconsin - On Thursday, the Republican controlled State Assembly voted 60-38 along Party lines to pass their own version of a gerrymandering map AB624 and to concur with SB621 redistricting map, which was passed in the State Senate on a vote of 21-12 on Monday. 

Also on Thursday, AB 625, the Congressional redistricting bill concurrent with State Senate Bill 622 was laid on the table by unanimous consent.

The AB624 map was supported by both State Assembly Republican majority House Speaker Robin J. Vos and State Senate Republican majority leader Devin LeMahieu with hardly no public support for the GOP gerrymandering maps.

The House Democrats at the last minute decided not to submit alternative redistricting maps because the Republicans alleged that they had violated open meeting laws by not allowing any public input on the maps, according to Vos. Vos offered an amendment 1 to allow the Governor Tony Evers's People's Maps Commission (PMC) redistricting map to be introduced, the amendment failed on vote of 21-77. 21 State Assembly Democrats supported the PMC map, which dilutes Hispanic and Black voting age populations in State Senate Districts (SD) 3, 4 and 6 including State Assembly Districts 7, 8 and 9 in SD 3, 10, 11 and 12 in SD4 and 16, 17 and 18 in SD6.

According to a press conference on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 held by State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milw) and State Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw), all the proposed redistricting maps diluted the Hispanic and Black voting age populations (VAP) in minority majority districts in Milwaukee and violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) mandates. For the Latino districts to keep their VAP majority, they would need at least 70% of the Hispanic VAP in order to elect a representative of their choice. In the Black districts, they would at least need to have about 60% of Black VAP to elect their choice of representatives.

All the proposed redistricting maps diluted both the Hispanic and Black VAP majority districts compared to 2011.

During Thursday's State Assembly session, State Representative Marisabel Cabrera alleged that the GOP and the PMC's redistricting maps are not fair maps, which violated Wisconsin Open Meeting Laws, also violate the VRA and failed to use the correct processing data, which was the Citizenship voting age population and all the proposed redistricting maps used the wrong data. 

State Representative Cabrera from the State Assembly District 9th and State Representative Ortiz-Velez from the State Assembly District 8th voted against the PMC map and also voted no for the GOP maps because they are unconstitutional, unfair maps, diluted both the Hispanic and Black VAP and violate the VRA.

Now, the GOP redistricting maps AB624/SB621 head to Governor Tony Evers Office and Evers is expected to veto it. Either the GOP, Evers or the Dems will file a State court lawsuit to determine the legality of the redistricting maps.

WIGOP Controlled State Senate Approved Their Own SB621 Redistricting Map, Which Failed To Take Into Account The VRA 1965 Mandates And Rejected Governor Tony Evers (D) PMC's Map

The Republican controlled State Senate approved their own version of redistricting map and rejected alternative maps including the controversial Governor Evers (D) People's Maps Commission redistricting map that dilutes City of Milwaukee majority minority districts in both the State Senate and State Assembly.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 9, 2021

Madison, Wisconsin - On Monday, the Republican controlled State Senate majority voted 21-12 to adopt Senate Bill 621/Assembly Bill 624 redistricting map, which the Republicans support in order to keep control of the State legislature by continuing to practice gerrymandering, which prevents Democrats in the state from getting a majority for the next 10 years.

The Republican controlled Senate also rejected alternative redistricting maps from the Dems in the Senate and Governor Tony Evers's People's Maps Commission controversial redistricting map that dilutes (phases out or eliminates) two Latino majority districts and makes them as "Opportunity Minority Districts" in violation and in controrary to the mandates of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), which assures that people of color can elect their choice of representatives where a large concentration of Latino population exists in a particular area (district). It also phases out the State Senate District 3 in the predominantly Latino community in the Southside of Milwaukee. The two Latino majority (8th and 9th) Assembly Districts will then become Opportunity Minority Districts with less than 50% of Latino voting population for the next 10 years.

The PMC map also dilutes 6 Black majority minority Assembly Districts (AD) to two majority Black districts and eliminates two Black majority minority State Senate Districts. The four ADs would become Opportunity Minority Districts with less than 50% of the Black voting population.

All the State Senate Democrats voted against the Republican SB621 redistricting map and 11 State Senate Democrats including State Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milw), an African-American voted for Governor Evers PMC controversial map, eventhough, Johnson's district will be diluted with less then 50% of Black voting population or eliminated, if the PMC map prevails in a court legal challenge, but most likely it will fail for blatantly violating the VRA of 1965. State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milw), an African-American from Senate District 4 was the only one who voted no to reject all the redistricting maps presented in the State Senate on Monday.

Two other maps from the Democrats in the state legislature, B3 and E4 were also rejected. The B3 Dems map is considered as the best alternative compared to both the Republican and the PMC maps, according to a credible source in the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

The State Assembly will take up the Republican redistricting map AB624/SB621 and possibly other alternative redistricting maps for debate on Thursday. The Republican map AB624 is expected to be approved as well by the Republican controlled State Assembly and afterwards Governor Evers is expected to veto the Republican redistricting map. A state court challenge will definitely be filed by the either the GOP or Governor Evers and could include legal challenges from the Dems.

State Assembly Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw) of  Mexican-Puerto Rican American descent from the 8th Assembly District in the Southside of Milwaukee on Monday called for people of color in both the Latino and Black communities including allies to take action and march in Madison for fair and just representation maps on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at the State Capitol in Madison at 9:00a.m.

Activist & Advocacy Podcast - Episode 5 ft. Lena C. Taylor and Sylvia Ortiz-Velez addressed Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers's PMC's maps that dilute the Latino and Black majority State Assembly Districts https://bit.ly/3odpMC8

Update: 

Press conferences scheduled: 

• 1st Press conference about the Governor Tony Evers PMC redistricting maps that dilutes Latino and Black majority districts in Milwaukee will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2021 at 6:00p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Statue located at the 1700 N. MLK Jr. Drive in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Video of Press Conference at link: https://youtu.be/WpdfXQbVudQ)

• 2nd Press conference about the Governor Tony Evers PMC redistricting maps that dilutes Latino and Black majority districts in Milwaukee will be held on Friday, November 12, 2021 at 6:00p.m. at the César E. Chávez Statue located at the 900 S. César E. Chávez Drive in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Video of press conference)

Press conferences hosted by Wisconsin State Representatives Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw) and Lakesha Myers (D-Milw), Vaun L. Mayes, State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milw), Black Panthers, Brown Berets and allies.

Eric H. Holder Jr. From NRDC Behind The People's Maps Commission Redistricting Proposal Which Delutes Wisconsin Latino Majority State Assembly And Black Majority Assembly Districts Including State Senate Districts

The NRDC is being credited for supplying the People's Maps Commission with the proposed redistricting maps that Wisconsin Governor Evers (D) is promoting in contrary to the GOP gerrymandering proposed maps for 2021.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 6, 2021

Madison, WI - On Saturday, Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned from a credible source within the Democratic Party of Wisconsin that the proposed People's Maps Commission's (PMC) recent redistricting maps were allegedly provided by the National Redistricting Democratic Committee (NRDC) headed by Eric H. Holder Jr. The PMC redistricting maps, if approved would crack and delute the voting voices in the State Assembly District 8th and 9th, which are both majority Latino districts including the State Senate District 3 located on the predominantly Latino Southside area.

The PMC redistricting maps will also delute two Black majority Senate districts and at least 6 Black majority State Assembly Districts making them below 50% population of color or minority "Opportunity Districts", which would definitely violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The NRDC as a strategic ploy is promoting minority "Opportunity Districts" throughout the nation in order to challenged the GOP's gerrymandering maps that have kept the Republicans in political power for decades.