10th Annual Southside National Night Out Celebrated At Milwaukee County Kosciuszko Park

Neighborhood residents and local children gathered at Kosciuszko Park with local and county law enforcement and firefigthers departments to help celebrate the 10th Annual National Night Out event.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 6, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, more than 1,700 hundred residents and children, including local and county law enforcement agencies and the fire department gathered at Kosciuszko Park to celebrate it's 10th Annual National Night Out at the Milwaukee County Southside park. Milwaukee County Supervisor Peggy Romo West who represents most of the Latino community said during the opening ceremony, that she remembered when recently retired Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department Captain Sylvia Rodríguez was the brainchild of the event along with West. Since then, the Southside National Night Out has been a huge event where hundreds of local residents get to spent an afternoon with police, Milwaukee County deputies and other law enforcement officials including members from the fire department and Bell ambulance.

West also stated, that it is a collective partnership between police, the sheriff's department that makes the event a success and the neighborhood safer. She pointed out, that last year a lot of the mainstream media covered the event after a shooting took place near South 17 Street and W. Lincoln Ave. Law enforcement officials were criticized by the media because an armed robbery shooting occurred close by. West explained, a family that attended last year's event notified her about a known shooting suspect when they saw a news report. West called police and gave them the information that the daughter of a woman recognized one of the suspects who lived upstairs from her. Police were able the arrest the suspect on the same day of last year's National Night Out. She gave credit to the event, which allows neighborhood residents to meet their local police, while developing trust and a partnership to fight crime in the area, according to West.

Complimentary white t-shirts, food and beverages were given out to those attending. A live band, Spanglish and D.J. Ramzilla Monk provided the entertainment. 

This year, kids went to each law enforcement officer to get their t-shirts signed and who ever received the most signatures received a gift from one of the sponsors. 

State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milw.), Alderman José Pérez,  Milwaukee Police 2nd District Station Captain Alfonso Morales, Milwaukee County Sheriff David E. Clarke Jr. and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett were present at the event.

Food and beverages including t-shirts were provided by sponsors and community organizations. The event was hosted by Milwaukee County Supervisor West and the National Night Out Committee. 

National Night Out is an event that allows law enforcement and local residents to take back the streets from criminals. The event takes place in communities around the country during the week.

Steven Zelich Charged With The Gamez Murder And Hiding A Corpse In Kenosha County

Zelich charged for killing Gamez in late 2012 or early 2013 in Kenosha County after engaging in BDSM sex acts.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 5, 2014

Kenosha, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, Steven Mark Zelich, 52, from West Allis, Wisconsin was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding the corpse of Jenny Gamez, 21, of Oakridge, Oregon. Zelich admitted that he killed Gamez in late 2012 or early 2013 at a Kenosha County hotel while engaging in BDSM sex acts. Bond for Zelich was set at $2M. Gamez was reported missing from Oregon in 2012 by her family.

Zelich told homicide investigators that he killed Gamez in late 2012 or early 2013 in Kenosha County, but wouldn't identified her. Zelich had been engaging in BDSM sex (BD) Bondage and Dominance, (SM) Sadism and Masochism with Gamez. 

Zelich kept Gamez's body for about a year at his West Allis apartment,  according to the criminal complaint.

Zelich, is former West Allis Police Officer who resigned from his job and then worked as a security guard. He is also facing a homicide charge in Minnesota for the murder of Laura Jean Simonson, 37, from Farmington, Minnesota. Zelich also admitted to Rochester police in Minnesota that he killed Simonson, 37, on November 2, 2013 at a local Rochester hotel. He then hid the body in his vehicle and left to Wisconsin. 

He kept the bodies of Gamez and Simonson and later discarded them inside several suitcases. Police have also confirmed the bodies were intact and not dismembered as previously reported. The bodies were discovered on the side of a rural road on June 5, 2014 near the Town of Geneva, Wisconsin.

Simonson's body still had a sex gagging mouth ball tied to her mouth and believed to have been strangled during BDSM sex. Gamez body had her hands tied behind her back and both bodies had been in a decomposing stage when they were found in several suitcases in Walworth County, according to police.

Zelich had been charged in June with two felony counts of hiding a corpse and a $1M cash bail was set during a bond hearing in Walworth County.

Zelich had used Collarspace with the name "Mr. Hancuffs" to promote his desire to have sex with submissive women who enjoy BDSM sex and liked to be tortured, placed on a cage, handcuffed and used as sex slaves.

In 2001, Zelich was given the option to resign from the West Allis Police Department after a naked prostitute ran into the street in handcuffs from his apartment. He was facing a misconduct disciplinary charge from the department, but after he resigned the charged was dismissed.

Zelich then went to work at Johnson s Control in Glendale as a security guard contracted by Securitas Security Services USA. He was hired by the security agency in 2007 and has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal charges.

First Annual Customized Vehicle Exhibition And Family Picnic Held At Milwaukee County Wilson Park

Car and vehicle enthusiasts around the tri-state region gathered at Wilson Park in Milwaukee for their 1st Annual Lows Picnic in Southeastern Wisconsin.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 3, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Sunday, more than 153 car and vehicle enthusiasts gathered at Milwaukee County Wilson Park to exhibit their customized vehicles, motorcycles, Lowrider bicycles and hold their first annual picnic. More than ten vehicle enthusiast groups sponsored the event and was opened to the public to check out their unique customized vehicles.

Ricardo Hernández,  Vice-President of the Good Times Car Club said, that it was a multi-group effort to organize the event and had received a large response by other groups as well to participate. Groups from Milwaukee, Illinois and Indiana participated in the one-day picnic event.

Some of the groups indicated, that they won't participate at the three-day annual Mexican Fiesta 2014 this month as they usually do. The reason, last year Rafael Hernández,  a member of the Good Times Car Club was escorted out of the event for just having body art on his face. Hernández was banned from the three-day Fiesta event by police and organizers, despite doing nothing wrong at Fiesta other than having body art. 

Last September, Mexican Fiesta 2013 organizers confirmed that this year certain body art will be prohibited and those festivalgoers caught with tattoos will be banned or kicked out from the event. Mexican Fiesta is sponsored by the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Incorp. (WHSF). Their projected message, not everyone from their Latino, White, Native American and Black communities are welcome to their event, if they have tattoos not suitable for the family orientated festival. Most Latinos in the Southside community wear tattoos to portray cultural tradition, art and lifestyle. 

No cash refunds were given last year to those innocent victims that were profiled by Milwaukee Police Officer Alexander Ayala, president of the Latino Peace Officers Association (LPOA-Milwaukee chapter) who does voluntary security for Mexican Fiesta and the Milwaukee Police Department who used their "Intelligence Center" for non-criminal activity to profile suspected past, present and future gang members, according to Ayala. Most likely, victims profiled, targeted and kicked out from Fiesta this late August for having undesirable tattoos, won't even get refunds either. 

Mexican Fiesta is held at the Summerfest grounds, which Milwaukee World Festival, Incorporated rents the grounds to Fiesta and other ethnic festivals. Mexican Fiesta is the only festival at Summerfest that discriminates against people who wear tattoos. World Festival rents the grounds from the City of Milwaukee. Today, Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and the Milwaukee Common Council seem to support Mexican Fiesta's discriminatory policy against tattoos, because they haven't publicly addressed the issue. Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) has informed Barrett, Flynn and the Milwaukee Common Council of the discriminatory tattoos policy that Mexican Fiesta will continue to enforce. Mexican Fiesta has not released any information since September, if they will stop discriminating against their own community for wearing certain tattoos. 

Last year, the Milwaukee Police Department issued a statement to Telemundo Wisconsin indicating, that they work with Mexican Fiesta to enforce their policy to discriminate for security reasons. What a disgrace and blatant discriminatory practices by both the Milwaukee Police Department under Chief Flynn, Mexican Fiesta, and the WHSF Board of Directors.

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

WI LOWs 1st Annual Picnic 2014; hopping vehicles video courtesy of Jo Ann (FB): http://youtu.be/o9Gx-be2y8E


News video in Spanish about kicking people out of Mexican Fiesta 2013 at link: http://bit.ly/17mNzCt

LULAC Defendants Filed NY TRO Case In Federal Court

Margaret Moran, Luis Vera Jr. and Manuel Escobar

Defendants Margaret Moran, the former National LULAC President, Manuel Escobar and Luis Vera Jr. had their attorneys sent out notices of removal to Plaintiffs and judge in an attempt to move a NY TRO hearing to a federal court.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 2, 2014

New York, New York - On Friday, attorneys representing Margaret Moran, the former National LULAC President, Luis Vera Jr., and her legal advisor Manuel Escobar, including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) sent out notices for removal indicating that they have filed a NY TRO case in the United States District Court for the Southern State of New York. They also notified Judge John A. Barone, for the Bronx County State Supreme Court that they will not appear for a scheduled TRO court hearing on August 4. Judge Barone issued a temporary TRO against Moran, Escobar and Vera Jr. preventing them from using rules to influence a LULAC National election. Moran and Vera Jr. decided to postpone the national election after they noticed that their candidate Roger Rocha Jr. from Laredo, Texas who was running for LULAC National President didn't have enough delegate votes to defeat Maggie Rivera, from Crystal Lake, Illinois for the 2014 LULAC presidency. She received 60% of the registered delegate vote. It was the first time in LULAC's 85th year history that the national elections were briefly postpone. 

The delegates at the 85th LULAC National Convention in New York City reconvene the Assembly, despite Vera Jr.'s attempt to postpone the election and elect Rivera as LULAC National President. Rivera became the first Hispanic woman from the Midwest to get elected LULAC National President breaking the traditional control of the organization's presidency by Mexican-Americans from Texas.

Moran and three other LULAC members have continued in control of the LULAC organization, despite that they can no longer hold those positions because they have expired their four one-year terms, according to the LULAC National Constitution and By-laws.

A federal court judge would have to decide, if the court will hear the NY TRO by Judge Barone. The federal judge will probably rule, that the case hasn't been exhausted in the state supreme court and will likely deny a hearing to the defendants.

The attorneys for Moran, Escobar and Vera Jr. notified Judge Barone that they will not be present at the August 4, NY TRO hearing to determine, if the defendants violated the TRO. 

Eduardo LaGuerre, the NY State LULAC Director filed a TRO on July 11 to keep the Defendants from attempting to influence the National LULAC elections. Moran and other National Board members have been accused of fraud, corruption and manipulating to suppress national board elections.
A second TRO was filed by the Defendants Rosa Rosales and Elia Mendoza against the Plaintiff Eduardo LaGuerre in Bexar County Texas. The TRO prevents the newly elected LULAC National President, Maggie Rivera from taking office and disseminating information to LULAC members nationally about her election, including the results from the 85th LULAC National Convention elections in New York City on July 12, 2014. The Texas TRO hearing has been rescheduled for August 15, according to court records. 

Red Charger Hit And Ends Up On Sidewalk Next To Southside Grocery Store

No one was reported injured at accident by a local grocery store.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 1, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - A red Charger was hit on the front driver's side by another vehicle and lost control. The Charger ended up on the sidewalk next to a grocery store. The driver of the red Charger stated, that he was making a turn when another driver turned into the store's driveway and hit the Charger.

The other driver remained at the scene and no injuries were reported just after 4:00 p.m. when heavy rainfall was reported in the area.

Morgan Geyser Ruled Incompetent To Stand Trial For Now

Morgan E. Geyser, Anissa E. Weier and Payton Isabella Leutner

Geyser was found incompetent to stand trial for first-degree international homicide in the Slenderman stabbing case of a 12-year-old friend.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 1, 2014

Waukesha, WI - On Friday, Morgan E. Geyser, 12, was found to be incompetent to stand trial for first-degree intentional homicide of Payton Isabella Leutner, 12. A hearing date on the competency report was set for November 12 to continue with the case. The ruling in court also indicated that Geyser could become competent within a year with treatment and might stand trial. Geyser remained in custody in the care of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) and is housed at the Washington County Juvenile Center in West Bend.

During today's hearing, a doctor who examine Geyser told the court that she can actually read minds. She remained silent during the court hearing.

Also at a probable cause hearing, Anissa E. Weier, 12, who is also charged with first-degree intentional homicide was ordered held at the Washington County Juvenile Center in West Bend. Judge Michael O. Bohren ordered the mental evaluation reports disposed off as time permitted by law for both Geyser and Weier. A probable cause hearing for Weier was scheduled for September 17 and 18. She will remain in the custody of the WDHS.

In July, Waukesha prosecutors hadrequested a mental disease and defect evaluation after a state doctor found Geyser incompetent to stand trial. 

Geyser was charged with one felony count for first-degree attempted intentional homicide, party to a crime and use of a dangerous weapon for the May 31, stabbing of Leutner from Waukesha. Leutner was stabbed at least 19 times by Geyser and Weier, who planned her murder for months. Leutner was invited to a birthday slumber party by Geyser. They lured Leutner to Davids Park and committed the horrific act and then left their best friend to die as a sacrificed murder to Slenderman. Leutner crawled out of the wooded area and was found by a bicyclist who called 911. Geyser and Weier later confessed to police that they wanted Leutner dead because they were influence by Slenderman, a fictional character. Both Geyser and Weier are being tried as adults.

Both Geyser and Weier were charged with one felony count for first-degree attempted intentional homicide, party to a crime and use of a dangerous weapon.

If convicted, both Geyser and Weier are facing up to 65-years in prison each and are being held each on a $500,000 cash bond at a Washington County Juvenile Detention Center.

Leutner's identity was made available after her name was posted on numerous Facebook discussions about the Waukesha attempted murder case. 

Ramírez Could Face Charges In Deadly Southside Collision

Rafael Ramírez III, Jennifer Camacho-Torres and Ramon Rodríguez

Ramírez's blood-alcohol test results and outcome of the investigation could determine, if he will face charges for the early Wednesday's deadly collision on W. Historic Mitchell Street.

By H. Nelson Goodson

August 1, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, police were still waiting for the blood-alcohol test results for Rafael Ramírez III, 30, who is accused of running a stop light at the 1100 block of W. Historic Mitchell Street on early Wednesday. Ramírez was heading northbound on S. 11th Street when he allegedly failed to stop at a red light and crashed into Ramon Rodríguez,  28, and Jennifer Camacho-Torres, 27, who were heading eastbound on W. Historic Mitchell Street. Rodríguez was driving and Camacho-Torres was his passenger. They were heading to work around 3:15 a.m. when Ramírez who was driving a silver Pontiac Grand Am struck the black Honda Accord going east. 

Camacho-Torres suffered blunt force trauma and died at the scene. She is survived by a 9-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. Rodríguez, who is Camacho-Torres's live in boyfriend suffered a fractured skull and remained hospitalized. 

Ramírez also suffered a critical head injury and remains hospitalized as well.

A donation fund for funeral and medical expenses has been opened at the Tri-City National Bank under Rodríguez and Camacho-Torres Donation fund, according to family members.